A DECISION over the future of Royston town bus services is expected next month. The number 16 and 17 bus services have been under threat for the past six months. Herts County Council has confirmed that no decision has yet been taken over whether either or

A DECISION over the future of Royston town bus services is expected next month.

The number 16 and 17 bus services have been under threat for the past six months.

Herts County Council has confirmed that no decision has yet been taken over whether either or both services will be axed, but said changes are "inevitable" due to budget cuts.

A spokesman for the county council said: "We have some difficult decisions to make based on the resources available to us, now that we are losing a quarter of our funding.

"While we will do everything possible to minimise the impact to all bus users in North Herts, it is inevitable that some service cuts will have to be made.

"We hope to have finalised the changes in the next few weeks, and they are likely to be implemented from January 2008."

The county council is altering services following a decision earlier this year by North Herts District Council to scrap its £130,000 bus subsidy.

The No 17 service, which runs from Burns Road to Queens Road, Mill Road, and the town centre, was receiving a subsidy of £50,000.

Terry Hutt, of the Royston Pensioners Action Group, has collected more than 800 signatures in support of the services.

He said: "The No 17 is a lifeline to a lot of people.