UNDER-used bus services in Suffolk were today under a new threat after public transport grants were cut by Endeavour House.Suffolk County Council is to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from its £6.2m budget.

UNDER-used bus services in Suffolk were today under a new threat after public transport grants were cut by Endeavour House.

Suffolk County Council is to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from its £6.2 million budget for subsidising bus services next year - leading to claims that they could be forcing people back into their cars at a time when the government is trying to persuade people to use more public transport.

The county's roads and transport scrutiny committee backed the cuts as part of the council's attempts to bring down next year's budget.

However Labour group deputy leader Kevan Lim warned not enough thought had been given to the proposals.

He said: “Their figures don't add up and they have given no indication of what services could be under threat.

“Also these new cuts are being proposed before the impact of this year's cuts have been fully analysed.”

County transport spokesman Guy McGregor was unrepentant about the proposal. He said: “We are not talking about £500,000 as Labour claim. It is nearer to £360,000.

“All departments are facing cutbacks next year - and it is right that the roads and transport budget should shoulder its share.

“We will now start the process of looking at where subsidy cuts might be made - we are likely to start with routes where they are duplicated by a commercial service or a rail service. But nothing will happen without full consultation.”