Barnard Castle is set to miss out on busloads of visitors each market day following the cancellation of a bus connection to Cumbria.
The last scheduled trip for the 572 route, operated by Cumbria Classic Coaches, is Wednesday, September 24.
After that, there will be no more direct services linking Kirkby Stephen, Brough and Barnard Castle.
In summer months, the service uses distinctive vintage buses – earning it a nomination as one of Britain’s 10 quirkiest bus rides from the Bus and Train User website. In winter, with reduced passenger numbers, it reverted to more modern vehicles.
“It will be sadly missed when it goes,” said John Pratt, one of the passengers.
“There must be half a dozen couples on here today who rely on coming into Barney for their shopping.
“It’s ideal because it comes to the car park outside Morrison’s and you get that level route to push your shopping back to the bus.”
Alison Morriss, director of Cumbria Classic Coaches and Wednesday’s bus driver, echoed those sentiments.
“Although this is a seasonal service, and it’s much more popular in the summer, I’d say we probably have 70 per cent locals on the bus,” she said.
“It’s people coming for the market and the shops. People from Kirkby Stephen and Brough love coming over to Barney, they love the fact that we wait right outside the supermarket. It’s absolutely full of shopping when we come home every week.”
Mr Pratt and his wife have set up a petition in Kirkby Stephen to encourage Westmorland & Furness Council to find ways of keeping bus services to and from the Eden Valley going.
However, while there are proposals under discussion, the Barnard Castle route is complicated because it crosses the border into County Durham and needs backing from two local authorities.
“There are a couple of councillors in Kirkby Stephen who are very pro-active in approaching Westmorland & Furness, but any subsidy would have to be in conjunction with Durham County Council,” added Mrs Morriss.
“I only heard about the petition this week and while I would be happy to see somebody run the service, it’s for somebody else to take it on and carry on.
“After 28 years, we’re finding it harder and harder to keep the buses on the road. It’s time for a break.”
