SLASHING rural bus services would be "another nail in the coffin" for North Yorkshire life, campaigners warned today.

Dozens of bus routes which link tiny countryside communities with York, Malton, Easingwold and Selby are under threat in a review announced by North Yorkshire County Council.

The services are run by private companies, but receive massive subsidies from taxpayers' money to keep them afloat.

The Evening Press revealed this month that the county council spends more than £4 million a year supporting the buses, some of which attract subsidies of more than £10 per passenger per journey.

Mary Welsh, the council's public transport manager, has warned the situation cannot continue.

The most at-risk journeys are little-used evening and weekend services on major routes, which are not commercially viable without subsidies. Some smaller routes could be eliminated altogether.

But parish and town councils - who are being consulted on the proposals - are furious at the prospect of cuts.

David Lloyd-Williams, of Norton Town Council, said: "Buses bring people in from the villages who don't have cars, and bring business to Malton and Norton.

"I've been confronted in the supermarket by people saying it's going to stop business coming to Norton from places like Burythorpe and Westow.

"I think we should oppose any retraction of the service provided. It is another nail in the rural coffin. It's up to the big town councils to put up a stand on behalf of the parish councils."

Town councillors in Pickering also oppose the plans.

Coun Arthur Aslett said: "If you cut buses, you are going to have more cars on the roads. People working in Scarborough who can't get a bus home to Pickering will have to use a car, and that causes pollution and parking problems."

Coun Malcolm Jones said: "We must object in the strongest possible way to our friends in Northallerton (the county council) for cutting what could be our rural lifeblood."

Transport chiefs will make a final decision on the fate of all the county's subsidised bus services next month.

Meanwhile, John Cattanach, Selby District Councillor for Cawood with Wistow, has campaigned to protect the number 42 service from Selby to York via Cawood.

He said the renewed threat did not help them, but he said he thought the 42 was less at risk than other services, as it is only subsidised on Sundays in winter, and on Friday and Saturday evenings.

He said: "I think we are not quite as badly off as some of the others. The ones receiving most subsidies are the most at risk."

He said if county council subsidies were reduced, Arriva would have to decide whether to maintain the service.

He said: "I am worried this report will scare a lot of people, who will think the 42 will never run again. That's not the situation."

:: North Yorkshire services under threat

Among the 89 North Yorkshire bus routes under review are:

evening services on the number 128 Scarborough to Helmsley via Pickering

all services of the 174, 175 and 176 Hutchinson buses, which link villages around Pickering and Kirkbymoorside four times a week

winter Sundays on the 840 Malton to Pickering and Whitby bus

all services on the 195-199 buses from Helmsley to Hovingham

journeys between Kirkbymoorside and Easingwold on the 31X Kirkbymoorside to York bus

evening journeys on the 18 and X18 York to Holme-on-Spalding Moor bus

all services on the 87 York to Tadcaster bus

evening and Sunday services on the 42 Selby to York via Cawood bus

some evening services on the 415 Selby to Riccall bus.

Updated: 11:07 Wednesday, January 18, 2006