I have been regularly visiting an old friend in Marlborough and have read in the Gazette of the high- handed attitude of Wiltshire Council to those who are protesting about the cuts to rural bus services.

Ten years ago, a modern bus went direct from Marlborough to Devizes every Thursday. My late mother used it regularly. The excellent market was the main attraction but also the variety of supermarkets, whose prices were well below Waitrose in Marlborough. Without notice, the council withdrew the bus.

I rang the passenger transport department on my mother’s behalf but repeatedly got an answering machine. I also noticed three weeks after the service stopped that the timetable was still displayed at the bus stop. I later learned from my mother that the bus had been replaced by something patronisingly called a Taxi Buzz. My mother hated this and quickly stopped using it.

I wondered if she was being over-critical and on a visit I persuaded her to join me in it. It was essentially a delivery van with seats.

Unlike the bus, which had a low floor, steps had to be put out by the driver at each stop to enable passengers to get on and off. I was a reasonably agile 40-something at the time, but even I struggled to climb aboard. Once on board, it was cramped, with very little space for shopping and I distinctly remember the overpowering smell of stale cigarette smoke surrounding its driver. I understood very well why my mother hated it.

I tried again to ring the passenger transport department and (to my surprise) got through. It was a conversation that I will never forget. I was told, with no hint of an apology, that they had been moving offices and that is why the answering machine saying that “we are unable to take your call” had been in use for several weeks.

My point about the failure to update the timetable was met with silence. Then, to my amazement, I was lectured on how much it cost Wiltshire Council for my mother to be able to go to Devizes, and that she should be grateful for the Taxi Buzz. I later did some research and discovered that it was, in fact, the then central government that had provided the money for improving rural transport.

I work in HR and if any member of our staff were to be discovered to be talking to a customer like that, they would certainly be sent for re-training and given a warning that, unless their attitude changed, they would be dismissed.

I have now learned that the Taxi Buzz is to be withdrawn because of lack of use. Given the experience of my mother and myself, I am not surprised, and I wonder how much public money has been wasted on it over the years?

Apparently, Wiltshire Council plans to reintroduce the Thursday bus from Marlborough to Devizes. This seems to be a good idea. But, instead of going directly to Devizes, a journey that would take a maximum of 25 minutes, it inexplicably sets off in the opposite direction, and will travel via Burbage and Pewsey (which appears to already have a service to Devizes). This means it will take almost an hour, two hours for a round trip.

My mother used to regularly ask if those in charge had a clue what they were doing or understood the needs of the people they were supposed to be serving.

I think we all know the answer to that, and I would not be surprised if my mother is now turning in her grave.

I wish those attempting to combat the incompetence and arrogance of Wiltshire Council the best of luck.

Mrs Jean Webster, Cromwel Avenue, Thame.