TWO Bromsgrove bus services could be axed in the coming months due to a lack of funding and reduced passenger numbers.

Diamond Bus has confirmed some of its services are currently on a “watch list” with a risk of cuts from July 24 and August 28.

The 52A which runs from The Alexandra Hospital in Redditch to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bromsgrove could be axed from the end of August due to passenger numbers.

The S83 which is a school bus running from Redditch to North Bromsgrove High School via Alvechurch and Barnt Green could also face the chop from July 24 due to passenger numbers.

Government funding which enabled bus services to operate during the Covid pandemic is set to end later this year.

Diamond Bus said they have been in communication with both the local authorities and the Department of Transport to conder the “consequences of funding removal”.

The bus operator said passenger numbers are still “dramatically lower than pre-Covid levels” meaning a “large proportion of bus services across the region are not commercially viable.”

A spokesperson said: “Accelerating operating costs and reductions in patronage, means that a large proportion of bus services across the region are not commercially viable, and without the intervention of additional subsidy will need to be reviewed for either service reduction or withdrawal altogether.

“Ultimately, we are committed to growing our services to keep communities moving.

“As we move forward from a very difficult period during Covid we want to encourage passengers back to support their local bus network.

“We have continued investing in our business to provide a strong local network, but in order to maintain that long term, we need passenger levels to return to how they were before the pandemic.”

Diamond Bus said their review will continue over the coming weeks and months and information may be subject to change.