A WOKING community carer has made an impassioned plea on behalf of her mother to save the Bustler bus service and protect community centres such as The Vyne in Knaphill.

The familiar bright yellow vehicles are run by Woking Community Transport (WCT) to provide door-to-door transport to and from community centres and the Dial-A-Ride mobility service. 

WCT has been told its service-level agreement, worth £175,000, is under threat as part of the £11 million council cuts.

Vanessa Danby, whose mother Barbara is a regular at The Vyne, said: “I am deeply worried regarding the future of the Bustler bus and The Vyne.

“It seems like yet again the elderly and vulnerable are a target for something that has nothing to do with them, it’s Woking Borough Council’s incompetence.

“My mother is 87 years old. She is partially sighted, profoundly deaf and has heart failure. The reason she carries on with such a positive spirit is because she attends The Vyne three times a week, and the Bustler bus picks her up and drops her home.

“The incredible drivers, and the amazing team at The Vyne, make her feel welcome, supported and cared for. She has a purpose in life. She can interact with her peers, feel part of a community and still have her independence. 

“There are so many just like my mum. This is their lifeline. These people have gone through wars, brought up future generations and make up the fabric of our society. We need to protect and value them, not chip away and remove their quality of life.

“The council needs to find other avenues to cut back on and leave our elderly and innocent residents alone. These people will be confined to their homes and have no reason to carry on if Bustler and The Vyne are taken away.

“As a community carer I witness the devastation of change within my patients when their routines in their day-to-day lives are disrupted. 

“Families and friends need to stand up and be a voice for our elders and the vulnerable in the community.

“The Bustler bus and The Vyne must be saved and kept in place. 

“It is disgraceful to even think about removing such a massive service. 

“I urge people to speak up and to stop this happening.”