BUS chiefs have been urged to reconsider plans to stop more services from the area dubbed 'the forgotten village'.

Borough Cllr Des Worthington has written to Cheshire County Council asking it to review proposals amid fears the E38 service from Meadowbank to Winsford is to be slashed to just two buses a week - both on Mondays - from two-a-day Monday to Thursday.

The council axed school buses from the area three months ago, leaving children with a two-mile walk to school each morning.

But it says it has no control over this service, which it says is run by private contractor, Evans Coaches of Tarporley.

Cllr Worthington says the latest announcement is 'crackers.' He said: 'I've written to the council asking it to reconsider the plans and also reinstate the school buses. Some of the kids who can't get lifts are having to walk miles to school in the wet and cold on a very dangerous road.

'I don't know what people are going to do - if they had their own transport then they most likely wouldn't be using the bus in the first place. It's such a dangerous road to walk down, there are always cars parked on the pave-ments and people have to walk in the road to get round them.'

Back in June a major power cut during an England World Cup football match affected 800 homes in Meadowbank and Wharton and took a week to repair and Cllr Worthington added: 'The area has been neglected in the past and we need to provide better services for the people there, not remove them. It's out in the sticks and we don't want it to become a forgotten area.

'If the Government wants to encourage people to leave their cars at home and take public transport then it needs to provide the services.

'The council has said that the buses aren't being used but as far as I'm concerned if only half a dozen people are using them then it's worthwhile.'

Brian Woods, of Meadow Grove, said: 'The buses from here have been running for more than 15 years and if they're stopped it's going to be a real struggle for people to get into town.

'The road is far too dangerous to walk down - it most be the most unsafe road in Winsford. Forty-tonne wagons go thundering down there and with cars parked all over the place and only one side having a footpath people have to walk several feet into the road.'

A council spokeswoman said: 'The service is run commercially and is not subsidised in any way by the council.' No-one from Evans Coaches was available to comment as the Chronicle went to press.