Charity warns over effect of £7.3m bus cuts on older people

Older people across Wales could be hit hard by cuts in bus services across the nation. That's the warning of Age Cymru.

They fear that hundreds of services could be scrapped because of a reduction in grant money.

Hannah Thomas has the story.

Joy Mathews, from Machen, near Caerphilly says she doesn't know how she would get around if bus cuts go ahead. Age Cymru fear that hundreds of services could be scrapped because of a reduction in grant money. Mrs Mathews says this would affect her and other older people in her community.

Graham Francis from Age Cymru says older people rely on public transport to get to the services such as hospital appointments and banking services.

Welsh charity Age Cymru are warning that cuts to bus services across Wales would severely affect the older generation.

A Welsh charity is warning that funding cuts to bus services across Wales could severely affect older people.

Age Cymru is concerned that £7.3million of funding cuts could mean up to 800 services across Wales would be cancelled or affected.

A report, written by the Bevan Foundation for Age Cymru, gives views from over 300 older people across Wales.

It emphasises how a lack of buses in local areas can leave older people feeling isolated and lonely, with many of them using buses as their only way of reaching their local community.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said:

"We allocated £25m to the four transport consortiums in Wales in 2013-14 to support bus and community transport services.It is a matter for them to determine local priorities and identify which services should be supported and at what level.

The Transport Minister is looking for innovative solutions to deliver an efficient bus service across Wales.She also took immediate action to safeguard bus services in Gwynedd and Ceredigion when Arriva Buses Wales announced they were pulling out of the area."