Moves to axe crucial bus services in Southend have sparked angry protests.

The Evening Echo's talkback line has been ringing red hot with Echo readers keen to voice their objections after bus operator Arriva announced that Sunday and evening services would be reduced and vital daytime services were to be cut.

The proposals include discontinuing day time services of the numbers 6, 6a and 6b services. These run from Eastwood to and from Leigh station in the rush hour and from Leigh via Elms, Coombes Corner and Kent Elms to the hospital and Eastwood to Leigh during the day.

Many of the Echo's callers targeted the problem of transporting children from Westcliff to Prittlewell School.

Two mothers from Westcliff, who declined to be named, told how their children would not be able to get to school if the service was dropped. One said: "It leaves my son completely unable to get to school and I do not know what I am going to do."

The other said: "My son goes to school on the bus every day. I am a single mother and I cannot drive so how is he going to get to school? "

Steve Aylen, (Con, Belfairs) said: "Myself and fellow councillor Chris Walker (Con, Eastwood) are campaigning to reinstate this extremely valuable community service. I am worried about the people losing access to places they used to be able to get to. Belfairs and Leigh are over a mile from a train station and these buses are the only way most people can travel."

The cuts are said to have been sparked by a shortage in qualified drivers but the move is said to allow Arriva to boost services in other areas of Southend.

Published Monday January 14, 2002