TRANSPORT bosses at North Yorkshire County Council have vowed to work with bus companies to try to save rural services.

But they have warned that passengers may have to pay increased fares to prevent routes being axed all together.

Officials and councillors say residents will suffer as a result of their budget cuts, but are keen to talk to bus companies to ensure at least some services are retained.

The council this week rubber-stamped its 2011/12 budget, which includes cutting £600,000 of bus subsidies, mainly for Sunday and evening services, including those leading to York, Naburn, Cawood, Stillingfleet, Selby and Leeds.

A council spokesman said no services were being directly cut, but the loss of subsidy made it likely that commercial bus companies would make cuts. He said: “Council officers and local members will continue to discuss the details of the impact with the operators, particularly Arriva Yorkshire and Arriva North East, and to work with them to develop innovative ways to retain a minimal service. This may include increasing fares – our public consultation indicates that passengers would be receptive to this.”

Coun Clare Wood, executive member for passenger transport, said: “We are only too aware of the importance of access to quality public transport for our rural communities and for that reason we continue to talk to the bus operators to try to ensure that the reduction in subsidy does not lead to the total disappearance of services.”

She said: “This has been a tough budget and the county council deeply regrets any cut in subsidies.”