Further to my letter of July 3 your readers might like to know that, according to The Times on September 7, Southern Vectis, the Isle of Wight bus company, proposes to turn five routes over to volunteer drivers from the local communities rather than closing them down.

The vehicles used for the new system are funded in part by a contribution from the Department of Transport's Community Transport scheme and the Minister responsible said: "Where commercial bus services are not viable, Community Transport can play a valuable role."

To the extent that the Forest is an island, albeit with 'gateways' at each corner, this model might be a viable alternative to the purely community-based scheme I suggested in my previous letter – especially if the routes and timings are arranged to suit the needs of our communities rather than some central controller. 

Local control could facilitate a serious attempt to create a properly integrated public transport system with bus services designed to link our towns and villages with rail services in Gloucester, Lydney and Chepstow. If reliable, such services should reduce individual car journeys and pressure on station car parks.

– Clive Akerman, Bell Hill, Central Lydbrook.