A SUBSIDISED shuttle bus which helped football fans get to watch Colchester United has been scrapped.

The service has been running since the U’s moved from Layer Road to the new stadium ten years ago with supporters charged £2.50 per trip.

But chairman Robbie Cowling has announced there will be no shuttle service from next season.

He said: “When we first moved to the new stadium, there was very little infrastructure in place to help spectators make the journey from the town to the stadium and back.

“Therefore, we laid on shuttle buses to assist with such a journey and, for the last ten seasons, we have been continuing to do so at a considerable cost to the club.

“Ten years on and there is now more infrastructure to support movement in and out of the stadium, which is reflected by the decline in the number of paying supporters now using the buses.

“Last season, the club’s subsidy for the buses was more than £1,000 a game and equated to £5.21 per customer.

“It was never the intention for Colchester United to indefinitely subsidise this travel to this degree and, with all of the facts before me, I have therefore made the decision to withdraw the shuttle bus service as of this season.

“I hope users of the shuttle buses can be grateful to the club for running the service for as long as it did, and understand why I have taken the decision I have done at this time.

“I would also like to thank First Buses for the excellent service they have provided to Colchester United and its supporters for those ten years.”

Last season 4,671 paying supporters used the bus which meant the club had to pay out £24,337 of the overall £35,500 bus cost.

The previous two seasons had seen 5,011 and 7,146 use the service.

The bus had previously run in the hours before kick off and made pick ups at several pubs, the town centre, Old Heath, Essex University, Greenstead, St John’s and Highwoods.

Club bosses say supporters can book parking at the stadium for the season or game by game at colutickets.com.

They have also encouraged fans to use Park and Ride buses and the car parks open to fans on matchdays.

Regular bus services including the First number 65 and Arriva 2 and 8 serve the stadium on matchdays.