IT has been announced that a vital rural bus service will be axed. 

The beloved 84/85 bus service - which runs between Wotton and Yate - will end on Saturday, August 31, officials say. 

It comes as a campaign was launched by passengers in an attempt to save the service - including a nine mile march last month.

The protest saw dozens of people in attendance including Stroud MP Simon Opher and South Cotswolds MP Roz Savage.

Campaigners say many residents in rural communities will be left cut off and isolated such as Hawkesbury Upton, Charfield, Cromhall, and Wickwar.

The route also includes stops at Yate Shopping Centre, Katharine Lady Berkeley's, and Chipping Sodbury School and HMP Leyhill.

It is understood for the service to be saved, three local authorities needed to agree on a funding solution - including the West of England Combined Authority, South Gloucestershire Council and Gloucestershire County Council.

Bus operator the Big Lemon CIC has run the 84/85 service since June 2023 after WECA funding ran out. 

A spokesperson from The Big Lemon CIC said in a statement: “We are sorry to inform you that the 84/85 Yate - Wotton-under-Edge bus service will end after operation on Saturday August 31, 2024.”

“Alternative bus services including the introduction of WESTlink into Wotton-under-Edge can be found below.

They added: “We should point out that although South Gloucestershire Council have been paying the bill for this service, they have been getting contributions from Gloucestershire County Council under cross border armaments.”

Officials say transport alternatives have been launched in the South Gloucestershire area including the new WESTlocal bus service as well as the bookable WESTlink scheme.

The WESTlocal two-hourly service for the Cotswold Edge is expected to start on September 2 covering Hawkesbury Upton, Wickwar, Charfield, Chipping Sodbury and Yate.

Meanwhile, residents in Gloucestershire can use the new bookable Robin minibus service launched by GCC.

Other options include Stagecoach’s 60 service from Thornbury to Dursley as well as the 620 service from Stroud to Old Sodbury. 

However, campaigners have repeatedly stated that these alternatives do not go far enough.