Councillors have defended a bus service shake-up that will see some routes cut and replaced with on-demand services. 

Rutland County Council is planning to remove some uncommercial services, such as the regular service between Oakham and Melton Mowbray, and introduce an on-demand service run by neighbouring Lincolnshire County Council. Other changes include reducing the weekday service between Uppingham and Stamford. 

At the Rutland County Council cabinet meeting held at Catmose House yesterday (Tuesday, November 12), councillors said that rather than reduce services the new plan would provide more choice for residents.

Cllr Wise said the move was 'positive' (Photo: Rutland County Council)

Cabinet member for transport Christine Wise (Lib Dem – Uppingham) said the move was a positive one. 

She said: "I am proud to present this very innovative, brave and bold response to budget demands. Rather than lose virtually all public transport, which is an option other authorities have taken, the team have used the opportunities that opened up with levelling up funding to devise a dynamic demand responsive transport system.  

"This enables people to book a minibus to come to them to take them to their destination rather than just standing at the bus stop. 

"Many of the current commercial services that serve Rutland require large subsidies and have very few passengers, the proposal here is to keep those services used by a lot of people that require low subsidies such as the R1 and the 747. 

"The other services like the R2 and the R5 will be replaced by our own float of minibuses. At peak times it is intended they will run much the same route as now." 

The authority will use a government grant to buy new electric buses and is in the process of setting up a new bus hub in Cold Overton Road in Oakham.

The proposed Transport Hub has been very contraversial among locals, with concerns about increased traffic congestion. (Photo: Nub News)

Cllr Wise said the new service would allow people to travel throughout Rutland and the bus would pick up from zones after booking online or on the phone. Concessionary travel will remain. 

She said initial plans were to run the scheme in-house but it was decided to enter into a contract with Call Connect with the service using Rutland's buses and to Rutland's specifications. 

The new scheme is anticipated to save the authority £300,000 each year. 

Fellow cabinet member Andrew Johnson (Lib Dem – Braunston and Martinsthorpe) said: "No one wants to reduce costs in the council but we are being forced to do this by the funding settlements we have. It would be absolutely irresponsible if we were to spend more money than we are being funded and I think the council I doing an excellent job in difficult circumstances to cope with the pressures that are on us." 

At a recent full council meeting the service provided by Call Connect was criticised, but Cllr Wise said clauses would be put in place. 

At yesterday's meeting Cllr Diane Ellison (Lib Dem – Oakham South) said her only concern was the communication for those who cannot access the new on demand service. 

Cllr Wise said she was aware of the issue, and it was intended to use community groups to help people learn how to use the system. 

The cabinet agreed to stop the uncommercial bus routes, make a formal agreement with Lincolnshire for the on-demand service; offer for free travel for three months and then £1 for the rest of that first year and enter into a consultation with parents whose children attend the King's School in Peterborough.