First Group says they cannot continue loss-making routes

Bus company First says 15 loss-making routes are to go and 100 drivers and about 20 engineering and 12 other staff are at risk of redundancy.

The firm is also closing its Truro and St Austell depots.

The routes to be withdrawn will be put out to tender by Cornwall County Council which spends �4m a year subsidising the routes.

No guarantee

Amanda Bissett, who runs the post office at south Cornwall village Sticker, one of the communities affected by the cuts, said: "People are annoyed because they need that bus.

"We will get another petition together and I hope we can get them reinstated."

John Lobb, leader of Cornwall County Council, said: "Our budgets are under pressure for the coming year, so we cannot guarantee that we will meet the level of subsidy required to keep services at their current levels."

The knock-on effect of service reductions is that more people have to purchase cars and this can affect other bus services Candy Atherton, MP

Camborne and Redruth MP Candy Atherton, said: "These are commercial decisions because First cannot run at a loss but I will also be contacting the county council about replacing services where they are necessary to local people in my constituency.

"Stithians, for example has lost links to nearby towns.

"I am also concerned that the Falmouth town centre service has been withdrawn due to poor management of traffic in the main street.

"The knock-on effect of service reductions is that more people have to purchase cars and this can affect other bus services."

The routes will be axed by the end of May and new timetables are due to be published on 16 May and will be available from First Travel Shops and from Tourist Information Centres. Details will also be available at www.firstgroup.com.