Elderly patients have slammed the decision to cut a vital bus link to the Royal United Hospital in Bath after Wiltshire Council announced it will be withdrawing its funding.

The Connect2 Wiltshire bus service, previously known as the Wiltshire Hopper, is run by Warminster-based A and G Minibuses and has been offering patients a door-to-door service from their home to the hospital for 15 years.

Pensioner Lyndy Bishop, of Melrose Avenue, Warminster, suffers with type one diabetes and needs to attend laser eye appointments at the RUH to stop her sight deteriorating.

She said: “If it is cut, I think most people will say that they won’t be able to go to their appointments anymore because they can’t get there. I would be willing to pay a little bit more if the service was still running to secure its future.”

Mrs Bishop added: “You build up relationships with the drivers and it’s so welcoming to have familiar face greeting you to take you home after an appointment.”

Another regular user, pensioner Joyce Oakley, of Newtown in Bradford on Avon, uses the bus to attend appointments for her hearing. She said: “I will have to seriously look for help in getting there from now on and I don’t know what I will do because I can’t get on public transport as an elderly patient.”

Wiltshire Council will save £130,000 a year by withdrawing the service which is part of its plan to cut £30m from the 2015/16 budget. The bus service was initially funded by central Government until Wiltshire Council took over in 2006.

There are five eight-seater buses dedicated to the route and Wiltshire Council sets the fares for patients, divided by zones with a maximum fee of £15.60 for a return.

Brian Deeley, chief executive officer at Age UK Wiltshire, said that with an aging population people will become more reliant on hospital bus services: “Wiltshire Council have said that older people are a priority but how does this decision fit in with that?”

Staff at the company were made aware of the news last week and left many in shock that there was no consultation period.

Dave Barker has been a driver on the North and West Wiltshire to Bath route for six years and said: “What we have heard so far is a shock because the patients feel like we are taking away the one service they need. Many elderly people use it, disabled and those undergoing chemo use the service and it is vital in them getting to their appointments.”

Jason Kent, who has worked on the service for seven years, added: “As a driver you find that people come to the RUH for all sorts of treatment and now they are all saying to us ‘what are we going to do’. We didn’t know anything about it and some people are concerned about their future.”

On average, there are 50 users on the service daily which was set up in 2001 and Cllr Horace Prickett, portfolio holder for transport said that despite the cuts he has tried to make alternative arrangements for patients such as the Link services run by volunteers.

He said: “Of course I am disappointed and I am in trying to expand any transport service I can but the hard fact is that we are having to face the same sort of cuts that other council’s have faced.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: “Given the pressure on local government funding, we have to make tough choices, and will be doing so in this year’s budget.

“We are looking at usage of all subsidised bus services and whether they are cost efficient and sustainable in the long term. We are considering stopping the funding to the RUH Hopper and will be meeting with the acute hospitals and CCG to discuss this.

“The very successful link schemes are available for many people, and the RUH also manages its own patient transport system.”

The service is due to end in November. A and G Minibuses refused to comment at this time.