A PETITION to save one of the Barry bus services vital in enabling residents to using town facilities has been launched.

More than 250 residents have so far signed up to support the retention of the Cardiff Bus 98 Highlight Park service after it was revealed last month that its future could be in doubt.

Petition organisers Elwyn Toozer and wife Jan, 64, asked people to support the campaign to urge politicians to subsidise the service and enable residents in Wales’ largest town to have the freedom to get around the area via public transport.

They urged everyone to also write to Vale MP Alun Cairns, Vale AM Jane Hutt and Vale Council cabinet member for Transport Cllr Lis Burnett stating what the service means to them and the impact if it ceased.

Elwyn, 61, said: “The petition is aimed at a subsidy for this essential service because of the age of the people who live on this and the Buttrills estate.

“People were saying it was disgusting .

“They use the service to visit friends and Tesco in Highlight Park.”

He said the service was also vital to Barry businesses all around the town and the wider Vale – either directly or using connecting services – and to people wanting to use council services such as libraries, organisations like credit unions, medical services including Barry Hospital and community facilities.

He added it was also vital that residents were not left housebound and had the freedom to socialise with others rather than be left with a fear of isolation.

He added: “The reasons people gave overwhelmed me. They were queuing to put their signature to it. The Christmas spirit was just not there.”

Grandmother Rita Costello revealed her "horror" at hearing of the potential cancellation in April next year and said she relied on the bus to collect her great-grandson from school.

She said she regularly used the bus as her only means of picking up the four-year-old from school, something both her and the child greatly enjoy.

Rita, 78, said: "I am afraid that if the bus comes off, then I won't be able to do it at all.

"Before last July I would catch the 94 bus straight to Palmerston school, then this bus changed to the 98 so I had to change at King's Square which meant getting two buses.

"Now I hear to my horror that it's likely this service will discontinue."

She added: "They haven't considered the people who actually go on the buses," she said. "It will leave a lot of older people stuck in their homes, isolated because they can't get out

"It used to be a pleasure to get on the bus and talk to people, now it's all moans and groans about the problems, it's pretty miserable."