A bus link between mid-Essex communities and Broomfield Hospital is to be axed barely a year after it started.

The 344 service currently operates three times a day on Tuesdays and Fridays between Witham, Hatfield Peverel, Terling, Flacks Green, Gambles Green, Little Waltham, Broomfield Hospital and Chelmsford town centre.

But Essex County Council, which subsidises the service, said it was costing council taxpayers £18,000 a year - more than £11 for each passenger's journey.

The service, introduced in December 2002 in response to pressure from the public and councillors, will be withdrawn from March 31, leaving the Terling area once again without public transport.

Witham town, district and county councillor Phil Barlow accused the county council of slipping the announcement out on Christmas Eve so that nobody would object within the statutory five-day period.

As a result the decision will not be called in for further consultation.

Mr Barlow said: "The service was only there for two days a week and we were trying to promote, extend and enhance it, because given that it's only two days a week it's not surprising that not many people use it."

An Essex County Council spokeswoman said: "The decision to withdraw the service from March 31 was made because of the low usage and not meeting value for money criteria, and that is that the subsidy per passenger must not exceed £5. In this case the subsidy was £11.36 per passenger."

Published Wednesday January 7, 2004

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