The company says the services makes little money

Between them the two bus services carry nearly 150,000 passengers a year in the East Midlands.

Barton Buses wants to scrap the Nottingham - Melton - Oakham - Stamford route which carries almost 120,000 passengers from Rutland annually.

Lincolnshire and Nottingham city councils have both refused requests for any financial support.

Officers from Rutland, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire say their councils could come together to fund a replacement service.

But Barton Buses also wants to withdraw the Oakham Hopper.

Subsidy decision

It carries 28,000 people every year from local estates to and from the town centre.

It is used largely by elderly people and there are fears its closure will leave many of them isolated.

The company says it makes under �10,000 a year from running the Hopper service.

Rutland County Council is due to meet on Tuesday to decide whether either service can be subsidised.