A PETITION has been handed in to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to try and save a community bus service.

The 305 bus, run by Bear Buses, runs between Colnbrook and Staines and provides villages in between, such as Wraysbury, with a vital transport link, including pensioners and school children.

However, Surrey County Council withdrew its funding in August last year, leaving the Royal Borough to step in and subsidise.

The Royal Borough’s funding ends on March 31 and there appears to be no resolution in sight. However, the petition handed in to the council by Councillor Colin Rayner (Con, Horton and Wraysbury) had over 1,000 signatures and calls for the council to continue funding the service until August 2017. This will allow the bus to continue while parish councils and charities find alternative funding.

Cllr Rayner said: “To pay for this service all year would cost £40,000 and over ten years that’s £400,000, which just isn’t sustainable. I’m on a six month mission to sort this out.”“What annoyed me was no one told me when Surrey County Council pulled their funding. I’ve had some strong words with colleagues about that, I can assure you.We have an obligation to get our kids to school, this needs to be sorted out.”