MEMBERS of a sheltered community in Old Marston feel they have "lost their independence" after their bus service to shops in Headington was cut.

Residents of retirement home Bradlands say they are "isolated" and have been "let down" by Oxfordshire County Council as the impact of bus subsidy cuts sinks in.

The community's H1 service halted on July 20 and since then some pensioners have been unable to get to nearby shops to do a simple food shop without having to make arrangements for family members to transport them.

Marston councillor Mick Haines said it was an "absolute disgrace" that people who had "worked hard all their lives" had been left behind.

Mr Haines will hand in a petition with 607 signatures on it to County Hall on Thursday morning to demand a service of some kind operate in the Bradlands area of the village.

Bradlands resident Malcolm Everton, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said the residents were "promised" a new bus service when the sheltered accommodation in Mill Lane was re-built and opened in December 2015.

The 67-year-old added: "There are people living here who can only get out once a week and have to rely on their family to take them out.

"I find it absolutely disgusting and these people deserve better. The authorities want people to lives independently in the neighbourhood, this is not that.

"It would not take a great deal of finance to re-route a bus down this street, it's common sense."

Pauline Collins, 73, said: "We could get a taxi but they are laughing. Old people cannot afford to pay for a taxi every time we go to the shops.

"We are not animals. We earned and worked and paid taxes and this is how we are treated."

The nearest bus stop now to the residents is outside St Nicholas Church - about a mile from the home.

Anne and James Holden moved into Bradlands about a month ago and used the bus twice before the service was scrapped.

Mrs Holden said the couple moved from Blackbird Leys.

She added: "We have got family in Bicester who get into Headington and they take us shopping every Friday.

"We are very grateful, but we have to rely on them. When we lived in Blackbird Leys we could go to the shops and it was lovely. You feel like you lose your independence."

From July the impact the county council's decision to cut funding from 118 services has started to be felt with many routes being discontinued or changed to save £3.7m a year.

Council leader Ian Hudspeth has said the local authority was working with bus companies to "minimise the impact on local communities".

One way the council has attempted to reduce the impact is to supply a a fleet of 10 minibuses that can be blocked book for a regular time each week or individually used at 75p per mile.

The Comet service, which also transports children to school and elderly people to and from care homes, is available between 10.30am and 2.30pm.