Pensioners who are angry about cuts to a bus service have called on the county council to step in and subsidise it.

They want Oxfordshire County Council to run Oxford Bus Company's No. 16 bus, which has been re-routed away from Oxford's Abingdon Road and Donnington Bridge Road.

The bus company revised the service, which links Minchery Farm to Oxford city centre, because it was often delayed in traffic on Abingdon Road and Donnington Bridge Road.

On February 6 the Oxford Mail reported that the bus company could no longer run the original route because it was unreliable.

Following protests by passengers and councillors, stops in Abingdon Road and Donnington Bridge Road were later returned to some services -- the 8am and 8.30am, returning at 3.05pm and 4.05pm on weekdays and during evenings and Sundays. All other services are still re-routed away from the two roads.

The county council said it would consider running the service if there was a strong public reaction against the changes.

John Wood, the council's assistant transport officer, said: "We are still looking at it. We are open to running the service if necessary."

Oxford Bus Company spokesman Nigel Eggleton said: "It would be wrong to continue the old service for the majority of our customers.

"We will review the situation with the council in July."

But pensioners have labelled the timetable "useless".

Christine Burden, who runs the Sweet Memories club for pensioners in Iffley Road, said: "It is no good for my coffee mornings. We could do with a bus at around 10am. It doesn't help us that much.

"My members are very upset at the moment as they won't be able to get here any more. It is no good to anyone during the day."

City councillors Rick Muir and Richard Tarver are urging the council to subsidise an off-peak service.

Mr Tarver said: "It is just a case of keeping the pressure on."

Mr Muir said the revised service did not address the needs of its passengers. He added: "There are considerable gaps in the service for people working at Oxford Business Park and pensioners shopping. It is good but not good enough."

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