Protesters have been gathering outside County Hall today to try and persuade Wiltshire Council to not axe funding for the RUH Hopper bus.

More than 2,000 people have signed several petitions to save the subsidised bus which residents in the county pay to take them to and from their appointments at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

The annual Wiltshire Council meeting is taking place in the Council Chambers at County Hall in Trowbridge, where the largest petition will be presented by Independent Councillors Jeff and Helen Osborn and Terry Chivers.

It is hoped a debate will convince the council to reconsider cutting £130,000 from their budget to fund the service, which is also known as Connect2.

Cllr Jeff Osborn said: “The most important thing is to get unity on the council over this, I don’t want to turn it into a party political battle, I’m looking for across the board support.”

A crowd of more than 25 people who regularly use the service met before the meeting and have packed out the Council Chamber to watch how the handing over of the petitions unfolds.

Among them is Doug Ross, chairman of Trowbridge Link, a volunteer led transport service for patients.

He said: "They can’t cut this service; they must put something in its place if it is not the existing one.

“One of our concerns are that if the Hopper ceased then we would be inundated with trips that we can’t satisfy and our drivers are concerned and it concerns me that it might put off more volunteers joining up.”

Janet Waring, 64, of Hilperton Marsh, added: “This is a vital service that must be kept, there are far too many cutbacks in this council now and we won’t put up with it in Trowbridge.”

Malcolm Nixon, 79, of Poulshot, has been regular user of the service since being diagnosed with prostate cancer. In the space of eight weeks he used the Hopper 38 times, collected by the bus at 6.15am for his appointments after 8am.

He said: “There is no way I could have had my treatment unless the Hopper service was in operation and I’m speaking on behalf of people who need it. It cannot be stopped.”

Anne Ball, 75, of The Down, Trowbridge, has also been a regular user of the Hopper. She said: “I used the Hopper every fortnight all last year for cancer treatment and there were times I have to be there for half past eight in the morning. There is no other way of getting there bar the Hopper.

“It is vital not only for me but for anyone having to go up there. Even for people who don’t drive there are no parking spaces up there and if there is, you have to walk miles to get to where you’re going. So you can’t stop it, it’s the worst decision they ever made.”

Cllr Chivers has also said the petition does not stop once it has been handed over, he added: “We are close to 3,000 signatures, if we can break the 4,000 barrier then we can bring it back to the next full council meeting and force a debate on it.”