A POPULAR bus route around Nailsea may have to stop operating if the Government reduces the amount of cash it pays for pensioners' bus journeys.

Owner of North Somerset Coaches David Fricker says the Nailsea town service, the number two and four routes which run around Nailsea to Backwell throughout the day, may have to stop running if changes are made to the amount paid for OAP fares.

North Somerset Council pays 91 pence per journey taken by a pensioner using their bus pass.

But it is possible the level of funding will be reduced by up to a third because of the Government austerity cuts.

The money comes from central Government to North Somerset Council which then pays it out to bus operators across the district. The Government says it hopes to save between £67 million and £133 million by changing the way payments to bus companies are worked out.

Each council across the country pays out a different amount to bus operators per pensioner journey.

Mr Fricker says that if the Government funding for the passes is cut, the service may be affected and perhaps be forced to stop altogether.

He also says moves to introduce new ticketing machines on his buses from next April could also affect the service as he will either have to buy them himself or lease them from the council.

Mr Fricker, 28, has now written an open letter to all his passengers asking them to help in any way, either by writing letters of support for the service to councillors and MPs or by trying to find businesses to sponsor the service to ensure its future.

Mr Fricker said: "The main threat is the proposed cut in the concessionary fares payment.

"We carry around 200 passengers a day, 60 per cent of which are pensioners. We are expecting a cut of between 25 and 30 per cent in the payment, although we will not know exactly how much until April."

Mr Fricker said: "These costs, in addition to any cuts to the Government funding, could have a serious effect on our business and force us to stop some services.

"The last thing we want to do is to cut services as we know we provide a lifeline service. But we are a commercial operator which receives no subsidy and we rely on the fares paid by passengers to survive."