A LOCAL bus campaigner has branded the efforts of Haslemere Town Council to preserve threatened local bus services as "pointless".
Haslemere representative for the Federation of Bus users, Marianne O'Brien, hit out following a meeting of the town council last month.
Members had been discussing the potential axing of services including key local services such as the number 19 and 70, and what could be done to retain them following feedback from local bus users.
Further comments were made in which a Hoppa service and a dial-a-ride were suggested as alternatives if various local routes cannot be saved.
But Mrs O'Brien has argued that direct action rather than discussion is needed to have any impact on Surrey County Council's final decision.
"I'm pleased that the council is conscious of the effects of these cuts will have on the car-less among us, but I fail to see what it can do to remedy the situation
"The only reason for the cuts is simply that the bus service is not sufficiently used even to justify a subsidy by Surrey County Council, and certainly not enough to be commercially viable.
"Any member of the council, public or indeed any politician genuinely caring, should be on the bus.
"Nothing else but filling more of the seats will have the slightest effect on whether the cuts go ahead in February."
The findings and suggestions from the town council are to be presented to Surrey County Council as part of its formal response.
Members plan to highlight that the proposed cuts will affect the most vulnerable in society
"The loss of these services impinges to a far greater extent on the disadvantaged," said town councillor Mark Lelliott.
"Those on a lower income, the elderly and the disabled."
"Once the local buses are withdrawn there can be no restitution and the excellent Hoppa would in no way replace them, indeed it would be a very expensive solution."
Haslemere's county councillor, Christine Stevens, has confirmed that once the county council has finalised its proposals, there will be public consultation in December.