RESIDENTS have been waiting hours for buses which will never come as a result of a timetable foul up.

Transport company First scrapped the 66A bus service, which serves Old Heath, in Colchester, at the end of August because too few people use it.

But Essex County Council, which is in charge of bus stop displays, has failed to update the timetables in roads such as Roosevelt Way, which has left residents waiting for buses which appear to be scheduled but which will never turn up.

Lee Scordis, Essex county and Colchester borough councillor said it was not good enough.

He said: “They have still kept up the old timetables, they didn’t publicise it, a lot of people have been standing there waiting for an hour for a bus that isn’t going to come.

“First hadn’t made people aware until we stuck a leaflet out and then people came to me.”

Mr Scordis added he was not consulted on the planned changes and felt it would be a huge loss to residents.

First said the timetable information displayed at the bus stops is produced by Essex County Council and they are working with the council to make sure all bus stops are updated.

Service change information can be found at www.firstgroup.com/essex or from the travel shop in St Botolph’s Street.

The company also said too few people were using the service along Barn Hall Avenue, Roosevelt Way and Mountbatten Drive and said it made sense to add extra journeys into the 66 service, which means that service will run between every 20 to 30 minutes and provide a better service for the majority of people using the bus.

An Essex County Council spokesman said the authority is working with First to get the timetables changed as quickly as possible.