BUS company bosses are scrapping a number of services across Oxfordshire which they have run at a loss after council subsidies were withdrawn.

Critics say the decision by Thames Travel, owned by the same firm which runs Oxford Bus Company, will leave passengers in rural communities like Berinsfield more isolated.

In July last year Oxfordshire County Council withdrew all funding for bus services that it subsidised other than those linked to funding from new housing developments.

Afterwards Thames Travel continued to operate some services without subsidy to try to continue to serve residents.

But one year on some of services continue to operate at a 'substantial loss' according to Thames Travel and as a result some services will be scrapped from July 23.

Managing director of Thames Travel Phil Southall said: "Thames Travel has served the communities of South Oxfordshire for almost 20 years.

"For the most part, this has been through strong partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and its provision of subsidies to routes which otherwise would not be commercially viable.

"After the withdrawal of these subsidies in July 2016 we took a considerable risk with many services, amending them to improve efficiency in the hope of maintaining them.

"Unfortunately after nearly a year, some of these services are still operating at a substantial loss which we regrettably cannot continue to absorb."

The services being axed are the 17 from Oxford rail station to Jericho and Summertown, which has not had 'sufficient patronage to remain sustainable'.

The 114 service linking Wallingford to Berinsfield, Culham and Abingdon will also be withdrawn, with the 41 Abingdon Town Service, which serves different locations in the town.

Pensioner David Lee, from Berinsfield, who campaigned for the 114 service to be saved, said: "The estate needs the 114 service.

"It is well used by pensioners and school pupils who will be left stranded without it.

"They are going to build a lot more houses here and we will need these bus services - they should not be cut."

Fellow resident Alan Marsden said the withdrawal of the 114 service could leave some pupils from Berinsfield and the surrounding areas without transport to get to and from school in Abingdon from September.

The 98 service, which links Great Western Park to Didcot Parkway and the Orchard Centre, will be extended on Monday to Friday during the day to serve Harwell Campus and Chilton.

This will replace some X32 journeys that operates along a similar route.

The combined X32/32A and 98 timetables will still provide a bus approximately every 15 minutes between Didcot Parkway and Harwell Campus and some minor changes will be made to the Saturday timetable.

And the T1 service linking Oxford, Cowley, Garsington, Watlington and Chinnor will be revised.

For more information visit thames-travel.co.uk