PEOPLE living on Oxford’s Barton estate fear they will be left stranded when a bus service is diverted during roadworks.

Oxford Bus Company’s number eight bus and Stagecoach’s 7C service will not serve the bus stop in Barton Village Road for at least a week from Monday.

Residents said the bus is a “life-line” and warned those with medical complaints would not be able to walk to the next stop.

The resurfacing work, at the junction of Fettiplace Road, is being carried out by Oxford City Council. Buses will still serve other areas of the estate.

Stella Bagshall, from Barton Village Road, said pensioners would struggle to get about.

She said: “Most of the people living around here are quite elderly and I know quite a few of them are very worried about this.

“If they want to get their pensions from the bank or need to get the bus then they will have to walk a long way to the shops, which is not possible for a lot of them.

“No replacement bus service has been organised and it is difficult to see how they are going to manage.

“They are effectively going to be stranded for a week at least, but it could be longer.”

Pensioner Lil Conway said she fears she will not be able to leave the house without a bus.

She said: “I have mobility problems due to rheumatoid arthritis and I am worried about this.

“It is more than a quarter of a mile to the next bus stop which is a long way to walk for people with painful conditions.

“I need this bus to get to the doctors and the shops among other things and I just won’t be able to leave the house while these roadworks are ongoing.

“There are a lot of people around here with medical conditions and I know they are worried about what they are going to do. The bus is a life-line.”

Mrs Conway added alternative transport like a minibus must be provided to “help pensioners keep their independence”.

Although Oxfordshire County Council is responsible for highways, the city council looks after some minor routes in the city.

Oxford City Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “We will be closing Barton Village Road at the junction of Fettiplace Road for a week while we carry out resurfacing work. It will begin on October 4 and it is anticipated that the work will take a week.”

The bus firms were not available for comment.