A NEW bus route could link several parishes together to replace a service that was controversially axed.

The proposed circular route would travel through Stratton St Margaret and Wanborough amongst other parts of town and would reportedly become profitable once up and running.

Profit problems proved to be the downfall of the axed number 20 service in Stratton despite 2,000 residents protesting against the service’s termination in 2015.

Stratton St Margaret parish councillor Joe Tray said at a recent council meeting: “It was axed because Swindon Borough Council decided it wasn’t profitable.

“Most of the people using it were senior citizens who had bus passes so the council were losing money on it.

“They stopped it and all its passengers suffered.”

Coun Barrie Jennings said: “The original number 20 was a hospital route funded by Section 106 money in association with the construction of the hospital and it was time-limited.

“The subsidy came to an end and it was no longer viable because not enough people used it. Lots of people who used the number 7 did not use the number 20.”

“Bill Biggs from Wanborough Parish Council proposed a new circular route. I propose we look at the minibus company Access about organising a school run service. Maybe they can run it on a more economical basis and, for a small subsidy from the parish, we could get a replacement for the number 20.

“It just depends on how much we can afford to subsidise.”

Last September, the parish councillors brainstormed ways to give residents along Ermin Street a public transport option as the number 20 used to run between the Kingsdown and Crown Inn pubs.

One idea involved setting up a charitable community benefit society, similar to West Oxfordshire Community Transport in in Witney.

However, after an in-depth report revealed the costs and organisational matters required to put it together, they decided it would cost too much and would have pushed up the precept again.

Earlier this month, councillors voted to proceed with an idea suggested by Coun Brian Cockbill.

He said: “I use the number 23 and the last service from the town centre is at 2pm. I’m often the only passenger on it because people don’t want to go home that early.

“We should meet with other parish councils and set up a passenger forum to talk about bus services in the area with bus users.”