VILLAGERS in Bere Ferrers this week reacted furiously after learning they are to lose their daily bus service from this Sunday.

Low passenger numbers have been blamed for the changes.

The number 87 service linking Bere Ferrers and Bere Alston with Tavistock currently runs 30 times a week ? but will be cut to just two trips from September 26.

Angry residents were only notified of the change when new timetables were distributed on Friday.

West Devon mayor and Bere Ferrers resident Christine Grills said: ?People here are very upset and concerned about this.

?We are constantly being encouraged to use public transport but the services are being cut back further and further ? the current service isn?t wonderful but it should have been improved, not removed.?

Cllr Grills said she had ?repeatedly? asked for the first 87 bus to come earlier, so it would be a viable option for people going to work.

She said: ?I have always been told it was not possible to make it any earlier than its current 9.15am start, which on many occasions fails to get to Tavistock much before 10.30am.

?If the 87 was to have provided a commuter route the service would no doubt have been considerably better used.?

Bere Ferrers resident and bus user Ann Endean said: ?It?s an absolute nightmare ? people here rely on the bus service for so many things, getting to and from work, leisure and recreation, even educational classes at the Alexander Centre ? everything will just fall by the wayside.

?We haven?t even been given enough time to re-arrange transport ? the service finishes at the end of the week.?

She said Cllr Grills had recently encouraged people to use cars less: ?Why isn?t the county council backing her? Losing our bus service will mean people have to use their cars more, not less.?

A spokesman for Devon County Council said the 87 service was commercially run by the First Group. The spokesman said the company told the council the change in the timetable was ?due to the lack of passenger numbers?.

?The cut is unfortunate but we have no control over commercially run services.

?We recognise people still need a shopping service, so a twice-weekly service will be run by DAC coaches, subsidised by Devon County Council, starting on September 27.

?The reason for not replacing it on a daily basis is because there are not enough passengers to do so.?

Sarah Pinch, First spokesman, said: ?The Bere Alston route was commercially run, but the Bere Ferrers section was subsidised. The county council said it wanted to re-tender the service to Bere Ferrers, which was won by DAC coaches. At the end of the day it is a county council decision.?

Bere Ferrers? replacement service ? the 87B ? will operate only on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The bus will leave Bere Ferrers at 9.30am and return from Tavistock at 12.15pm and will not serve Bere Alston.

First will continue to run a late night bus service between Bere Ferrers and Tavistock on Friday and Saturday nights ? this runs after 7.40pm and is aimed at discouraging drink-driving by providing public transport.

There will no longer be a bus run during the daytime on Saturday.