THE Luxbrough shoppers, a group of elderly residents who use community transport, are so delighted the council have scrapped a proposed cut to subsidies, that they have written a poem to celebrate.

Last week Somerset County Council announced they were no longer looking at cutting discretionary concessionary fares in half down from 50 per cent down to 25 per cent following overwhelming responses to a consultation.

The elderly residents of Roadwater and Luxborough who come into Minehead once a week to do their shopping said the Atwest bus was a lifeline.

One of the passengers, Den Edwards, said: "Honestly, without this service we would have probably had to move house because we would have been left out in the cold. The nearest bus stop is a mile and a half away, it is even further for people like Colin who lives in Luxborough. I can no longer drive due to my eyesight so this service is a lifeline."

Viv Edwards added: "We are absolutely delighted that the cuts will no longer go ahead, many of us would have struggled to afford to use the service if it went up by £5 a trip."

Atwest runs 11 shopper buses, as well taking elderly residents who need dialysis to hospital appointments.

Bryan Worrall, Atwest manager said: "It was difficult to say because you can’t put a figure on the cost of isolation and loneliness but I am convinced it would have cost the council far more in the long run if they had gone ahead with this cut.

"We are non-profit so we try and keep prices down, but had the cut gone ahead we would have been forced to put up prices by at least £5 just to cover our costs," he added.

"Plus this service offers people door to door service, we help them carry their shopping in, it is vital when we have one of the eldest populations in the country."

In light of the positive news the Luxborough Shoppers but together the following poem called 'Hooray!'

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah,

Zip-a-dee-day,

All of our buses,

Still coming our way,

Our precious transport

is here to stay,

Wonderful feeling,

Wonderful day!

We were worried we would lose it,

But now the news is fine,

We can still come out and use it,

It's the truth, it's actual,

Everything is satisfactual!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah,

Zip-a-dee-day,

All of our buses,

Still coming our way,

Our precious transport

is here to stay,

Wonderful feeling,

Wonderful day!