FOR those living in North Yorkshire’s more out-of-the-way places, buses are a vital connection to the wider world. Not everyone has a car of their own. And for those who don’t – often the young and the elderly – buses may be the only way to get to work or to the shops, or to visit friends or the nearest public library.

It is a real cause of concern, therefore, to learn that more bus services were cut in North Yorkshire last year than in any other part of the country. A 25 per cent budget cut resulted in 90 different bus services being either reduced, altered or scrapped altogether.

We have seen this happening over the past year, as villagers have spoken up to oppose cuts. But this is the first time the full scale of the problem has been so starkly apparent.

The slashing of bus services really is an attack on the rural way of life. Without village shops, post offices or buses, many small communities become scarcely viable. The loss of these services is changing the nature of village life. Many villages are in danger of becoming ‘commuter’ communities: villages filled with the wealthy middle classes who have cars and can afford to buy homes.

It would be simplistic to blame the county council. North Yorkshire is one of the largest, most rural counties in England. The authority has had massive cuts imposed by Whitehall. Something has to give.

But if we want to preserve the rich mix of people – young and old, local and commuter – who make our villages so distinctive, some way has to be found of preserving services: including the buses. Otherwise a way of life will be gone for good.