TWO bus routes in Weymouth have been axed by bus company First.

The number 3 route from Westham to Weymouth town centre has been scrapped while a decision has been made not to continue a trial bus service connecting Wyke Regis to the town centre.

A spokesman for First Hampshire and Dorset said the number 3 service ‘has been in decline for more than 12 months’ and the ‘difficult decision’ has been made to withdraw it from service.

The axeing of the service means that residents living in the largely populated Westham area without cars have no means of getting into the town centre.

Dorset councillor Gill Taylor, who represents Westham, said: “I think it’s a really sad decision they have made. I understand why it would be made for financial reasons but I have already had emails from people in Westham about it who don’t have any other transport.

“There are lots of elderly and disabled people and they have no means of getting into town.

“Thirty per cent of people living in Westham don’t have cars.

"I live on the Littlesea estate - people at the back of the estate would have to walk a mile to the nearest bus service," she said.

Cllr Taylor added that she has written to Dorset Council 'to see if anything can be done', she said.

Bus campaigner David Redgewell of the Bus Action Group (West Dorset) said the group is 'very concerned' about First Group Wessex wthdrawing the Westham bus service.

He added: "Dorset Council, the transport authority, should step in and support the bus service and tender a replacement service."

The number 3 service will finish operating on June 4 while the Wyke Regis service, set up as a trial in January running from Weymouth town centre to Lanehouse and Wyke Regis, will be withdrawn in May.

The 9/9A service has been operating seven times a day through Monday to Friday and was set up after a previous route between the two communities was discontinued and deemed financially unviable.

A statement from First Hampshire and Dorset said the decision to withdraw both services was a financial one.

A spokesman said: “Our service 9/9A to Wyke Regis has been on trial for the last 3 months to measure patronage and interest in the service.

"However, unfortunately demand has not been sufficient to support the cost to run the service commercially resulting in a difficult decision being made to withdraw it in May this year.

“Our service 3 to Westham has been in decline for over 12 months and without financial support, once again we have had to make the difficult decision to withdraw it from service.

“We will be reallocating our resources to support our operation in Weymouth as the summer months approach and demand starts to increase in the town, full details of the upcoming changes to services will be available to view on our website over the coming weeks."