WINSFORD is to lose its hourly bus service to Chester, just four months after it was launched.

The number 81 service, operated by D&G buses, will be limited to just three trips a day from January 2nd.

The company blames low passenger numbers for having to scrap most of its trips, and says it is highly unlikely the hourly service will be reinstated.

Chris Almond, bus network operator for D&G, said: “Not enough people have used it. We still want to run a service six days a week so we have settled for three trips each way.

“Obviously an hourly bus service would be ideal but it is very unlikely it will go back to the way it was.

“Yes, people have been catching the bus on every trip but what we needed was about 15 or 20 people catching it.

“Two or three people on each trip was costing us the full three hour service yet only covering the cost of about 30 minutes of it.

“To try and maintain the service with those numbers wasn't viable at all."

The new service will run three times a day, leaving Winsford High Street at 10.15am, 12.45pm and 2.45pm.

The morning service will come from Crewe via Middlewich – extending the service further afield.

The 2.45pm bus will not travel through Wharton, meaning residents will have to travel to the High Street to catch it.

The last bus home from Chester will leave at 3.35pm.

Chris, of D&G, added: “We found that the most popular service was between shopping hours, which we have kept. People can still have a few hours in Chester before going home.”

New timetables are now available on D&G buses and online.