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Woking community bus service 'at real risk' due to council funding cuts

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The community bus service has been described as a "lifeline" to the elderly and disabled people it serves

Thousands of elderly and disabled people have been warned the community bus service they use is under threat due to funding cuts.

Woking Borough Council, which declared itself effectively bankrupt in June, had to stop spending on all services not classed as essential.

One user of the service described it as a "lifeline".

The council's deputy leader said the authority's financial situation meant "tough decisions are inevitable".

Iris Humbley, 88, from Goldsworth Park, told BBC Radio Surrey she used the bus to attend hospital appointments when she experienced mobility issues.

"I don't know how I'd have got there. I'd have to have paid taxis and you can't afford them on a pension," she said.

She said it was "disgusting" the service could be terminated.

Mary Collyer, 77, from Horsell, has used the service for 31 years. She gets the bus two or three times a week with her dog Jimmy.

Ms Collyer has sight issues due to cataracts, and said the service was "so handy".

Without it, she said she would have to find "alternative ways" of getting places, and getting a taxi both ways would be "quite a lot of money."

Inside of bus
Woking Community Transport has been told its service agreement is under threat as part of £11m worth of cuts

Woking Community Transport chief executive Guy Padfield-Wilkins said there were "dark days ahead" for the service, which has run for 33 years.

"It's devastating. We have just under 4,000 members, all who are either disabled or have reduced mobility," he said.

"People have said they won't get out of the house if it wasn't for us."

Mr Padfield-Wilkins said without council funding the service would not be able to continue to operate, and raising prices was not viable.

Woking Borough Council's deputy leader Will Forster said the service was "sadly at real risk".

He added: "The council has started consulting on a range of changes to services. As part of this consultation, the council will meet with organisations like Woking Community Transport to understand what impact it would have if the council no longer funds them and explore what alternative options are available."

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