HUNDREDS of villagers in Pill and Easton-in-Gordano have signed a petition against proposed cuts to bus services in North Somerset.

A total of 539 people have put their name to the document, which calls for no changes to be made to the evening and Sunday bus services that serve the villages.

First Bus’ 358 and 359 are subsidised by North Somerset Council for all journeys on a Sunday and two evening journeys Monday to Saturday.

However, the unitary authority is looking to cut the amount it spends on buses in the district as part of its efforts to save �47.3million by 2015.

The petition, which was created by Pill Transport Group and left in village shops for people to sign, was presented to Pill and Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council on Monday by Mary Donaldson.

She said: “The petition has got 539 signatures on it. That in itself expresses the strong feeling that there is in this village about the enormous importance of our bus service.

“We have interviewed people standing at the bus stops who had strong views about the buses and their importance as well as their inadequacies.

“It strikes us as being astonishing that at this point when people’s needs for bus services is great that this will be the time when buses will be cut.

“For many people in Pill the bus is not an occasional treat, it is a regular need.”

During Monday’s meeting, it was decided the parish council would forward the petition to North Somerset Council along with a strong letter in support of it.

North Somerset councillor for Pill Donald Davies said: “If these are cut we won’t have one service coming through the village on a Sunday.”

Parish councillor Paul Kent said: “I think we have to make this clear in the strongest possible terms that we are against any reductions or alterations.”