THE bosses of Yellow Buses and Wilts & Dorset were branded "arrogant" last night after they declined an invitation to publicly defend their route cuts.

Dozens of people, nearly all of them pensioners, packed out Bournemouth council chamber to express their anger over controversial changes to bus services.

But although the special scrutiny meeting gave them the chance to vent their fury, there was no-one there from either bus company to hear it.

Meeting chairman Cllr Roger West confirmed both companies had been asked to send a representative, but both had declined.

This stance infuriated councillors who subsequently agreed to take urgent action to seek the reintroduction of the axed routes "by whatever means available."

Cllr Ken Mantock, who made the move, said: "It's quite obvious from the fact that neither company has attended that they think we are a soft touch."

Cllr Ron Whittaker said: "The arrogance of Wilts & Dorset and Yellows for not being here shows what type of people we're having to deal with."

And Cllr David Smith called their absence "disgraceful" and added: "They have stuck two fingers up to the people of this town by not coming here tonight and explaining their actions."

If the Yellow Buses and Wilts & Dorset bosses had attended, there is no doubt they would have received a rough ride.

Fed-up residents received rousing applause as they detailed how the service cuts had left them feeling trapped in their homes.

Valerie Smith, speaking on behalf of her elderly mother who can no longer get a bus from her Wimborne Road home, said: "A bus service worth its name must serve the needs of the local community.

"The current situation cannot be allowed to continue. Please give them their lives and their buses back."

Councillors also agreed to support the implementation of a South East Dorset action plan and work with neighbouring authorities to improve bus provision.