A solution has been found to maintain bus services to mid Suffolk villages after residents were left angered by proposed cuts.

From next month, residents in Badwell Ash and Walsham le Willows were set to be without a daily service to Bury St Edmunds. 

It formed part of changes made by the bus company in charge of the service, Simonds. 

Both the MP and councillor have written to Suffolk County CouncilBoth the MP Adrian Ramsay and councillor wrote to Suffolk County Council (Image: Adrian Ramsay)

However, following backlash to the plans, a resolution has been found. 

Councillor Chris Chambers, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for transport strategy, planning and waste, said: “Commercially run bus services can only run when there are people using these services. Other than home to school travel for entitled students, there is no legal requirement for councils to provide bus services, and we have no powers to prevent operators making such decisions.

“However, we recognise that some people in rural communities rely on these services so they can get from A to B and we encourage sustainable travel where possible, so we have listened to the feedback and are working with Simonds, the operator to find alternatives.

“I have instructed officers to use the last of our Bus Recovery funding from the Department for Transport to enhance the service proposed by Simonds to replace the 337/338 routes. 

"The new 73 service will operate the attached timetable until December 27, this will mean most current journeys will continue whilst we look at ways of future-proofing these rural services.

“I urge all residents to use the bus service as the county council cannot sustain routes which make a loss.”

The proposed cuts by the bus company caused anger among residents.

The cutbacks left Helen Flack without an option to get her daughter to college.

"I can't get her to college," she said.

"I don't drive so I've got no transport. My husband works, so I cannot physically get my daughter to college in September.

"There always has been buses here - to cut them is ridiculous."

Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, said: "People rely on these bus services to get to college, to get to work and to meet vital appointments.

"I have written to Suffolk County Council and Simonds to challenge these cuts and to underline how vital it is that we retain our bus services in local villages.”

Councillor Richard Winch, who represents both villages on Mid Suffolk District Council, added that rural routes "are not just a business" but "are a vital public service".