A MIDDLEWICH chief has warned that bus service cuts will have a ‘severe impact’ on the town.

Arriva is scrapping its 37 and 37E Crewe to Northwich service, which runs through Middlewich and Winsford, in the evenings and on Sundays.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is reducing its subsidy to save more than £80,000 after the commercial viability of the service was called into question.

The authority supports the leg of the journey between Northwich and Sandbach while neighbouring Cheshire East Council has said it cannot help with funding due to its ‘financial position’.

A spokesman for Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “The council supported the number 37 Northwich to Sandbach bus service at an original cost of more than £110,000.

“Passenger surveys were undertaken which reviewed patronage of this service. A new contract has been agreed with Arriva that will commence on March 4.

“The new contract at under £30,000 will see the last bus to Northwich at 7pm and the final one from Sandbach at 8.04pm.

“At present there is no Sunday service within the new contract, however a contract for a Sunday service will be placed out to tender in the next available phase and bids received from operators will be considered.”

The changes take place from Saturday, April 7.

A spokesman for Arriva North West added: “These changes have been made due to the reduction in funding by local authorities and unfortunately we are unable to run these journeys commercially.”

But Clr Mike Parsons, ward member for Middlewich, said: “This will have a severe impact on people getting back from work or to work if they work a nightshift and it will definitely impact on people in further education.”

The decision is a further blow to Middlewich’s transport infrastructure which regularly suffers from gridlock and is the biggest town in Cheshire without a train station.

“It will damage the town’s connectivity and will have an impact on its potential regeneration,” added Clr Parsons.

A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: “We are aware that Cheshire West and Chester Council have decided they can no longer subsidise certain journeys currently supported. “Regrettably, given the financial position facing Cheshire East Council, we are unable to take on these extra subsidy arrangements.

“As a consequence, only routes which are commercially sustainable will operate. This means that some journeys that see only limited passenger numbers will no longer run."