RESIDENTS fear they may have to walk into town as a bus route has been cut.

Hedingham Buses will stop the 34 and 34A routes from Bocking, through Braintree, to Great Notley, on January 9.

The company said it was because not enough people used the service to justify paying for it.

Kenneth Pallant, from Church Lane, said it was an essential route for him.

He said: "We don't know if anyone is going to replace the service.

"We can't be without a bus service along Church Lane, nor can people at Notley Green.

"We must have a reliable service here, not only for the elderly people but the students down at the College at Braintree.

"Without the bus service we will either have to walk to Deanery Gardens or walk into town which takes up to half an hour.

"You can't walk into town in bad wither, the route is essential."

The Hedingham Buses website says passengers travelling between Bocking and Braintree should use Stephensons 38, and passengers travelling between Great Notley and Braintree should use First Essex 70.

Hedingham 89 will continue to link Braintree and Braintree College.

David Smith, assistant commercial manager, said: "After careful consideration we have decided to withdraw services 34 and 34A as they are no longer commercially viable.

"Other options of bus travel do exist from Stephensons route 38 and First Essex route 70. " 
 

He said he had not been made aware of any other bus services picking up the route to plug the gap.