RESIDENTS of May Hill and Boxbush without their own transport will be left high and dry when their bus service to Gloucester and Ross on Wye is scrapped next month.

It will also leave pupils at John Kyrle High School, who live in the area, stranded.

The current 33 Stagecoach service along the A40 is to be diverted next month to run from Lea into Mitchledean and then on to rejoin the A40 at Huntley.

One irate resident, Sarah Williams of May Hill, says her son will have no transport to get to John Kyrle High School in Ross as the school bus to Ross is also due to be cancelled.

She said: “Residents from Boxbush and May Hill will no longer have any bus service running.

“There are many residents at the static caravan park who are elderly and cannot drive an rely on this bus service to travel in to Gloucester and Ross on Wye."

James O’Neill, commercial manager for Stagecoach West, said: “Unfortunately, our passenger numbers continue to fall on several Forest of Dean services and we have needed to take action to ensure that we have a viable network for the future.

“Our changes will help us retain our service to Mitcheldean whilst achieving cost savings on poorly used sections of Service 24 and weaker stops on Service 33 through Boxbush and May Hill."

Forest of Dean District Councillor for the area Dave East said: “I understand that this matter is being discussed at Shire Hall this week so we’ll have to wait to see what comes out of that.

“It is early days, but I cannot see any way that the county council can leave people living along this stretch of the A40 without a bus service.”

Cllr Nigel Moor, cabinet member responsible for transport at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We’ve been informed that Stagecoach intend re-routing their 33 service bus between Ross and Gloucester via Longhope.

“We will be using the time between now and September to look at what options are available to help residents affected by these changes.”