A BUS route connecting Knutsford, Wilmslow and Altrincham could be cut from a half-hourly to an hourly service, absorbing two further journeys.

The 88 service, which currently runs every 30 minutes and connects Knutsford bus station with Winsford train station and then the Altrincham interchange, is one of many set to be reduced by Cheshire East Council as part of a bus network review.

Proposals for the cuts go before a scrutinee committee today, Thursday, before being put to cabinet for a vote on Tuesday, May 9 ahead of a potential consultation period.

The review suggests that the 27 route to Macclesfield and 289 to Northwich be retained and absorbed into the 88 route – alternating between the two towns every other hour.

This would mean that the new ‘E1’ route would travel between Altrincham and Macclesfield, while the ‘E2’ would stretch from Altrincham to Northwich.

On both the E1 and E2, the bus would stop at Knutsford each hour before branching off to either Macclesfield or Northwich, which would serve each destination every two hours as at present.

The circular 300 bus would retain its current weekday route, which is commercially operated, but would see cuts to its evening and weekend service.

Cllr Andrew Malloy of Knutsford Town Council said: “Any cut in bus services is worrying. Everyone is concerned about how busy the roads are and there are a lot of people out there who don’t have access to a car.

“It’s the wrong way to do things. You need to be increasing public transport to persuade people to use it. If it’s not there you will see people hopping in the car instead.

“It has been known for there to be technical problems with buses. To absorb all that distance into one service, it only takes one bus to breakdown or one accident to cause huge delays. It’s a worry.

“I can understand they want to economise but I personally think it’s a false economy.”

If approved at cabinet, the recommendation would go to a 10-week public consultation.

A report to CEC councillors said: “As part of the medium term budget plan for the council, a saving target of £1.576 million from the supported bus budget is proposed to commence from April 1, 2018.

“In order to achieve this level of saving a fundamental review of the whole network has been undertaken to optimise the social and financial benefits that the supported bus network provides.”