A bus company's decision to cut back on loss-making weekend services has come under fire from Southend Council.

Arriva is shedding its route 13 service, which links Southend town centre and Eastwood Rise via the Tesco supermarket in Prince Avenue and Kent Elms.

From this weekend, the company is also axing its last three Sunday evening journeys, on routes 62 and 62a, between Southend town centre and North Leigh via Southend Hospital.

Roger Weaver, executive councillor for transport and engineering, said: "I'm very disappointed in Arriva's decision to cut back on these services despite the best efforts of the council to look at ways of maintaining at least some of the provision. This would include helping with publicity for route 13.

"It's important that people in Southend are able to use buses to travel around the borough, particularly when it involves services which serve major places such as the hospital."

Mr Weaver added: "I hope that Arriva will reconsider its decision and look again at the service it provides to residents."

Arriva's marketing manager, David Shadbolt, hit back at the accusations, saying Southend Council refused to increase the level of funding required to keep one of the services in operation.

He said: "Route 13 was barely used and it was just not financially viable to keep running it.

"Routes 62 and 62a had so few passengers it needed funding from the council to stay in operation. The council has now refused to meet the level required to keep it going and we had no choice but to withdraw the service."

Roger Weaver claimed the company had agreed in April to continue running the 62 and 62a services with the level of funding agreed with the council.

He said: "They came back to us just four months after that agreement saying they needed more money."

By Chris Weeks

Reporter's e-mail: chris.weeks@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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