TOWN councillors in Okehampton have expressed concern over bus timetable changes made by Western Greyhound to routes serving outlying villages and those linking the town to Exeter and Plymouth.

Among routes affected by the changes are the 510, which will no longer serve Bridestowe, although intending passengers can board or alight there.

At their latest planning meeting, the council decided to write to Western Greyhound about the possibility of improving morning and evening services, and to Devon County Council to share concerns about the situation. It will also write to bus company Stagecoach to consult about the services they offer Okehampton.

Cllr Kay Bickley said: 'The ramifications of cutting important morning and evening services are multiple — it doesn't just affect Okehampton as a central hub to surrounding villages and people coming in from those villages, but people going to Exeter and Plymouth for work, and further education.

'It can affect people's working lives or employability, it can affect the education of our young people. It has widespread effects that must be considered.'

Cllr Paul Vachon said: 'Places like Okehampton, small rural towns, can become like a small island. Without these services people can become completely cut off from the outside world.'

Chairman of the council's planning committee, Cllr Tony Leech said: 'As a council representing our community, we should be lobbying very hard for the early bus to be brought back, so people can get into work in the town. We should send a strong message to people that this is an important issue.

'We need linked-up thinking about issues like this. If an authority cuts a subsidy to public transport, that can lead to the loss of buses.

'If someone loses the ability to get to work due to the lack of public transport, that can have knock-on effects to benefit payments, people going on the dole, employability.

'Public transport has a wide effect on a lot of things.'