A VITAL bus service will be axed next month despite protests from residents who rely on the route.

The 67A service will no longer visit the Peldon village bus shelter after a shake-up of First Essex's timetables.

And residents who need the bus to attend hospital appointments and make shopping trips will now be forced to find an alternative.

But veteran Colchester councillor and Peldon farmer Robert Davidson said steps were being taken to see if the decision could be reversed.

Mr Davidson said: "This confirmation isn't unexpected because the bus drivers were telling us it was going to happen last week.

"The numbers I've seen for the amount of people using the bus seems too low. I'd be interested to see whether the figures include people using bus passes or student passes."

Mr Davidson said he would join Kevin Bentley, the deputy leader of Essex County Council, in meetings with First this week to see if something could be done.

He said the decision will leave some villagers with no affordable way of getting out of Peldon after it comes into effect on February 18.

Mr Davidson explained: "It's completely illogical because coming into the centre of Peldon only adds an extra mile on to the bus journey.

"But an awful lot of people are going to be affected for the sake of saving that one mile.

"It's ironic really because the buses often stop or terminate in the village anyway when they can't reach Mersea because of the tide."

Clare Lauwerys, who has lived in the village for 18 years, said bus users now faced a dangerous walk the next nearest stop.

She said the closest stop was at the Peldon Rose Inn restaurant - more than two miles away.

Mrs Lauwerys explained: “You often see the older people in the village walking up and down the road to the shelter with their shopping bags.

"Getting to the bus stop at the Rose is about a two-and-a-half-mile walk along a road with no footpath.

"There’s a 60 mph speed limit along there too so to think you can walk along there is just ridiculous."

A First Essex spokesman said: "We have a number of changes planned for our services from February 18 which will include timetable revisions, route changes and in some areas, the withdrawal of services due to very low patronage.

"We will be communicating what these changes are this morning with detailed information regarding the changes."

The changes to timetables across north Essex can be viewed here.