AN ELDERLY West Buckland couple have appealed to local MP Rececca Pow for help in saving a vital bus services.

Christopher and Jane Hampden live in the village and are approaching their 80s.

The couple have told the MP: “There are quite a few elderly people living in our large village who do not drive, as well as others without cars, who are extremely concerned about losing the number 20 Stagecoach bus service (Taunton-Seaton) which will cease coming via West Buckland from this July.

“This will force many people having to make alternative arrangements to visit Wellington, their banks, the Post Office, library and chemists and do general shopping and have no access to the bus services to Taunton, other than by walking over a mile to the A38.

“It is infuriating to learn that the No 20 service will still run from Taunton to Seaton, merely no longer making the short detour via West Buckland.

“We ourselves currently both drive, and work as volunteers in Wellington for charity shops, but losing the bus service will mean driving into the town and adding to the already appalling traffic congestion, not to mention the additional cost incurred by – recently raised – parking charges. There will be many in the village who will be in a similar situation, thus increasing traffic flow.

“We cannot help noting that the Prime Minister is to authorise the support of a substantial number of refugee children at a cost of £50,000 annually per head for an undefined period. While this is very commendable, we feel that for the cost of perhaps just one child’s annual support applied to Somerset and Devon county councils by way of an improved transport subsidy from central government, would help many more local people compared to that for just one child.

“By the same token, while applauding the aim to re-open Wellington’s railway station, the £40,000 to be spent assessing the possibility for something which can only happen in the remote future would surely be much better spent on saving the status quo in transport terms because it will affect so many of the residents in West Buckland in the all too near future.

“You will see from the foregoing that it would be very much appreciated if you could resolve this problem by giving the threat to our bus service your serious consideration and to try and ensure that services will continue after July.”