A BUS firm is facing a backlash after it has announced plans to shake-up dozens of routes across Colchester.

First Essex will make the changes from Sunday across the borough.

The firm says the changes are “in response to the change in our travel habits”.

Routes 61, 62, 64, 65, 66 and 67 (and their variants) will be withdrawn and replaced by the new Colchester shuttle network, with ten new routes.

More changes will be introduced on routes connecting the borough with places like Chelmsford and Maldon.

Garry Nicholass, commercial director at First Essex, said: “We are starting to see more people travelling by bus on some routes across our bus network, but numbers are still low compared to what they were pre-Covid.

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“We are also noticing that through flexible working arrangements in workplaces people are travelling less and at different times of the day compared to previous morning and afternoon peak travel.

“The changes we are introducing will embed a stable and sustainable bus network and deliver reliable services where they are being used across each day of the week.”

However, the cuts have caused a backlash, especially with those in villages who say the changes will affect them a great deal.

Labour councillor Lee Scordis has launched a petition calling for the cuts to be stopped with more than 300 signatures.

Mr Scordis said: “For some people it is the only way they can get to work or to hospital appointments. For businesses buses are vital for the local economy.

“Public transport and buses are the best way to combat traffic congestion and climate change. These cuts will damage all of the above. These cuts show that deregulating buses has catastrophically failed.”

He has particularly noted route 66 linking West Bergholt, the town centre, Old Heath and Rowhedge has been cut by half.

To see the full list of changes click here.

  • Other candidates standing in the Old Heath and The Hythe ward in the forthcoming Colchester Council elections are Andrew Canessa (Green), Richard Martin (Con) and Peter Schraml (Lib Dem).