RESIDENTS fear they will be left stranded with no public transport after Diamond Buses announced a raft of changes to services in Kidderminster.

The under-fire company announced a series of alterations to routes in a bid to improve reliability in the wake of a damning Traffic Commissioner’s verdict as well as addressing financial losses on the commercial services.

But councillors and residents have urged Diamond to reconsider before the changes come into effect on September 2.

Diamond has been in consultation with Worcestershire County Council on the changes affecting the number 1, 2, 3, 10 and 303 buses.

Significant changes affecting the number 2 bus will see it no longer serving the Habberley Estate, with community transport services expected to fill the gap. It will also no longer be interworked with the number 10 as bosses say it will become more direct to Bewdley.

They have also threatened to remove the route entirely if user numbers do not improve by September 28.

But Wyre Forest Labour leader Nigel Knowles said: “Leaving out the Habberley estate altogether will just mean people, many of whom are elderly, will be left with no public transport whatsoever.

“Replacing it with what is effectively a ‘ring and ride’ service is still not viable and I’m not convinced the changes are going to improve reliability.

“This is being driven primarily by cost and it is just not acceptable and I’m urging them to reconsider.”

Bewdley councillor and former Mayor Anna Coleman has started a petition, which has been placed in shops across the town, and warned that completely removing the service would leave people unable to get to work or make vital appointments.

She said: “Diamond buses appear to be cherry picking profitable routes or maybe its sour grapes after their recent fine by the traffic commissioner?”

Diamond has appealed the £9,075 penalty imposed by the Traffic Commissioner as a result of “poor punctuality”. But bosses said changes were being made in response to criticism following the inquiry.

A spokesman said: “The main driver for the change is to improve reliability. However, services 1, 2 and 10 carry fewer passengers than is desirable and are all loss making at the current time.

“One issue with the 2 service was the interworking of the buses with the 10 service. This was having an adverse effect on the 10, and therefore the service changes have been put in place so as make these services stand alone and not be affected by each other.

“It is true that some will be inconvenienced, but we hope that more passengers will benefit from the improvement in reliability which should result from the separation of these services.

“We hope that these service changes, better reliability and the investment we have planned will improve the financial viability of all the services we operate.”