VILLAGERS in Corfe Mullen will be left stranded at the side of the road without a direct service to Bournemouth when Wilts & Dorset buses withdraws route 18, warn civic bosses.

The bus company says it has no choice but to scrap the route from the end of next month because it isn't commercially viable.

Although Yellow Buses has agreed to take over the route, journeys will start and finish at Broadstone, completely axing the Corfe Mullen leg.

The core route of the 18 bus is from Broadstone to Bournemouth. But at the beginning of the day two journeys start at Lockyers School and go via Hill View and Highfield Estate into Broadstone, with two more returning late afternoon.

At weekends there are more buses from Corfe Mullen, with three evening return services to Bournemouth on Fridays, and five on Saturdays and Sundays.

Chairman of the parish council, Peter Haward, said: "This decision will affect the whole community but the bus company did not consult the parish council or inform us about it.

"There are 10,000 people in Corfe Mullen and there are proposals to build another 700 homes. We do not have the infrastructure to cope and are continuing to lose essential bus services.

"People use these buses regularly to get into Bournemouth, yet there was no community involvement in the decision."

Corfe Mullen's remaining bus service through the village will be the number 4, to Broadstone and Poole.

And there will still be the number 83 - purely a school service - picking up at Lockyer's Middle twice a day.

Wilts & Dorset PR manager Chris Harris said the route was being scrapped because it wasn't commerc-ially viable.

"We had no option," he said.

"As a commercial concern we aren't obliged to consult but we must give 56 days notice, which we have done."