SOME bus services in and around Malmesbury look set to be cut, as Wiltshire Council prepares to vote on a proposals to reform “commercially unviable” routes in the county.

Following a massive countywide consultation, Wiltshire Council will vote next week on proposals that will see some bus services reduced.

Having sifted through the 11,000 responses to the consultation earlier this year on bus services, the council are proposing to “more stringently” enforce their £3.50 maximum subsidy per passenger on routes.

Currently half of the bus mileage in the county is subsidised to the tune of £5.1m per year from Wiltshire Council as many routes, in particular in rural areas like Malmesbury, are not commercially viable otherwise.

If agreed, the proposed changes will see yearly savings of around £500,000 from early next year.

Philip Whitehead, cabinet member for transport said: “We had a fantastic response to the consultation.

“It really showed how much people value their local buses, and I am grateful to everyone who took the time to take part in the consultation.

“The information we had really has helped us, and I’m delighted we are proposing to buck the national trend and safeguard the services people really need.”

The council insist that around 97 per cent of bus routes around the county will survive, however they have not offered any indication into which exact journeys could see a reduced service.

If the vote is passed, a further consultation to see which heavily subsidised routes are less vital will begin.