ONE of the largest towns in the area will lose its main bus service under plans announced by operator Stagecoach.

Caldicot currently has half hourly services to Chepstow and Newport but Stagecoach in South Wales has announced it is axing services 74 and X74 in a row with the Welsh Government over funding.

If Stagecoach goes ahead as planned it will mean that from the end of July there will be no bus link to Chepstow.

The only bus to Newport will be the number 62 operated by Newport Bus – a service that only runs four times a day to Caldicot with the last bus leaving Newport at 2pm.

Monmouthshire coun­ty councillor Tony Easson, whose Dewstow ward is served the 74 and X74 said he was "appalled" by the plan to withdraw the service.

The announcement about the bus service came as campaigners and councillors from Lydney, Chepstow, Caldicot and Severn Tunnel Junction met the new rail chief for the area.

The withdrawal of the 74 and X74, which run from Chepstow to Newport, is part of a package of service reductions announced by Stagecoach in South Wales.

Cllr Easson (Lab, Dewstow) said: "I'm appalled by this. You cannot have a town of 12,000 people with no adequate bus service.

"Hopefully this is just a shot across the bows of the Welsh Government by Stagecoach.

"I shall be taking up the matter with Monmouthshire County Council to see what it can do and I'll also be putting it on the agenda of Caldicot Town Council."

A regular passenger, who did not wish to be named, said: "Surely they can't just take the service off?

"I need to get to Chepstow and my son goes to Nash College on the 74. How is he supposed to get there if there's no bus?"

Managing Director of Stagecoach in South Wales, John Gould, said: "Make no mistake – ultimate responsibility for the loss of bus services and jobs lies firmly at the door of the Welsh Government following years of cuts to bus investment.

"We deeply regret the impact this will have on our customers and local communities."

He said there had been a 25 per cent reduction in funding from the Welsh Government on top of plans to cut the concessionary travel scheme.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "This is extremely disappointing news. We continue to work with the Confederation of Passenger Transport to deliver a sustainable bus industry in Wales."