Easibus service cost £60,000 per annum

A LONDONDERRY bus service mainly serving people with mobility impairments - which is due to be scrapped this summer - cost Translink approximately £180,000 to operate over the past three years.

The city's sole Easibus service - to the Waterside and Drumahoe - was subsidised to the tune of approximately 97,800 by the Department of Regional Development (DRD) during that time.

The service runs from Londonderry city centre to Drumahoe and serves many areas of the Waterside including King Street, Glendermott Road, Rossdowney Road, Kilfennan, Woodburn, Lisnagelvin, Irish Street and Altnagelvin.

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Transport Minister Conor Murphy revealed the cost of maintaining the service in Londonderry was 59,500 in 2006/7; 61,200 in 2007/8; and 60,000 in 2008/9. DRD provided a subsidy of 31,400, 33,400 and 33,000 in each of those years respectively.

The decision to axe the service has caused concern.

In Drumahoe, a newsletter distributed by the local community association said: "This local service is being cut by the DRD in an economy drive and as it will adversely affect a large number of users, especially the elderly, the Committee will be making strenuous efforts with political representatives to have this decision reversed."

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