CAMPAIGNERS say a “terrible” decision to slash bus services from next week will damage the mental health of those affected.

The 250, which runs once-an-hour from 7.30pm between Waltham Cross, Loughton and Debden, will be scrapped from August 26.

The 251 service, which runs from Monday to Saturday evenings from Waltham Cross to Upshire and vice versa, has been cut by nine evening journeys from August 26.

Every service from the 7.30pm from Upshire to Waltham Cross and the 8.34pm from Waltham Cross to Upshire will no longer run.

Despite tireless protests from people who rely on the services, Essex County Council said funding cuts left it with no other choice.

Dave Plummer, a Green Party member, blasted the move.

As a guitar teacher, he has had to give up one of his students because he would have been left stranded.

He said: “It’s terrible. A lot of people will find themselves stranded.

“It shows a complete disregard. It will affect anyone who can’t drive.”

The cost of the service at £15.07 per passenger was cited as the reason behind the decision by the authority.

Mr Plummer expressed a feeling of ‘betrayal’, adding that people on low pay who are reliant on the route will suffer as a consequence.

He added: “We have to go from saving the bus to bringing them back. It will cost jobs.

"People working in hospitality and those who don’t want to drive won’t be able to get home from their low-paid jobs- you can’t expect their employers to pay for them because of the high business costs.”

Campaigners must now be allowed to see impact assessments on areas like after-school activities and mobility for the elderly, Mr Plummer argued.

John Price, chairman of the Epping Forest Chamber of Commerce, was similarly outraged.

He attributed the reduction in public services to the wider program of austerity, arguing: “It’s another nail in the coffin, another service, an endless list of services cut.

"Austerity has driven everyone into the wall. It’s not fair on the community. It seems to me that it’s another crisis going on in the district.”

Epping Forest Town Council also voiced concern at the decision.

The 250 service goes from Debden/Loughton to Waltham Cross while the 251 goes from Upshire, Waltham Abbey to Waltham Cross.

Mr Price also said the effect on mental health of users would drastically decrease.

He added: “We have got to think of the people who live in Waltham Abbey. This is just adding to the burden.

"If we carry on as we are, everyone will be driving cars. There won’t be busses and those who don’t have cars will suffer even more.

"Sometimes you just have to put money into situations even if it’s a loss. Maybe the county council could cut some of the high salaries instead of services.

“It will damage the mental health of people struggling to contend with the loss of services. The government isn’t putting money into things they should be.”

Cllr Ray Gooding, who is responsible for passenger transport, said taxpayers are contributing more than the price of a flight to Lanzarote each time someone uses ab us.

He said: “That is clearly not sustainable in the long term. We have taken a consistent approach to redesign supported bus service so they don’t t cost the taxpayer more than £5 for each trip made.”