OUTRAGED residents are up in arms over news that Tollesbury Bus Depot will be closed.

In a statement issue last week, Hedingham Bus announced they had submitted a proposal to close the depot on New Road, as it had not managed to secure work needed to maintain it.

Hedingham also announced that they had applied to withdraw bus routes 91 and 92 which go between Tollesbury and Witham and Colchester, as they had become ‘uneconomic’ to operate.

Hedingham later confirmed that bus route 95 that travels from Tollesbury through Goldhanger to Maldon would also be withdrawn, though the 95A service which transports students to and from school would remain.

Hedingham have not commented on what will become of the other bus routes from Tollesbury and have not issued a closing date.

If routes 91 and 92 were to cease, residents wanting to travel to Colchester or Witham would have to make their own way to Maldon to get a bus.

Lynda Royce, 65, of North Road in Tollesbury, said: “Being retired and living on my own I can’t afford to run a car, and closing the depot is extremely scary.

“The bus depot is a lifeline that people here cannot live without.”

Goldhanger resident Kaye Shrubb said: “Closing the depot could put service no 95 at serious risk, which could be devastating to us as it links us to Maldon and other bus routes to Colchester.

“There are many people in the village who are non-car drivers, and depend on the bus to get to banks, dentists, doctors, the post office and shops and supermarkets.

“Goldhanger has many mums with young children – all dependent on the bus and the loss of this service will have untold effects on them all.

Head of Tollesbury Women’s Institute Carol Piercy, 70, said: “Goldhanger doesn’t have a shop, there’s nothing here apart from two pubs, and people will be left stranded with a regular bus service.

“We have many elderly residents that don’t use computers or social media, they need this service to be able to live.”

Lynsey King, of Head Street, Goldhanger, who uses the bus to commute to Maldon six days a week, said: “I would be fortunate enough to drive if it stopped, but so many others won’t. Maintaining a car and parking it in Maldon is even more expensive these days.”

Gavin Hunter, Managing Director of Hedingham Bus, said: “These are very difficult times and we are sorry whenever we find it necessary to withdraw commercial bus routes. In addition our proposal to close Tollesbury depot is also very difficult.

“Staff consultation is underway and we are hopeful that we will be able to redeploy a number of our employees if we cannot find an economically viable alternative for the site.”