AN IRVINE bus route has been given the axe.

Due to low passenger numbers and Scottish Government cuts, the Stagecoach number 21 service, which runs from Kilmarnock Bus Station to the Magnum Leisure Centre, has been withdrawn.

The number 24 service which runs from Crosshouse to Ayr Hospital has also been scrapped.

The hourly 21 passes through Crosshouse, Dundonald, Drybridge, Dreghorn, Broomlands and Bourtreehill.

All of those areas are represented by Central Ayrshire MP Brian Donohoe.

The furious politician has slammed Stagecoach’s decision to withdraw the buses and insists he has been “bombarded” with calls and emails from worried constituents about losing the 21 service.

Speaking this week, Mr Donohoe said: “Stagecoach, who operate both services, have given notice to withdraw them on the basis of not enough paying customers using the routes and since the Scottish Government cut the funding for reimbursing concessionary bus travel it has become financially unviable for Stagecoach to continue running these commercial services.

“Going by the amount of representations I have had from very concerned constituents in the Dundonald, Loans and Drybridge areas which are all served by these buses I think it should be pointed out to SPT under no uncertain terms that these are socially necessary services which require to be looked at urgently and if subsidised could be put out to tender.

“I would also expect local MSPs to be fighting for the retention of these services given it is their Government who have caused this to happen.” Tom Bridge, Managing Director of Stagecoach West Scotland confirmed the company’s plans but revealed they are in consultation with SPT about the situation.

He said: “It is with regret that we have registered the withdrawal of Services 21 and 24. Decreasing patronage and a further cut to the reimbursement paid to bus operators under the Scottish Government’s free concession travel scheme has meant that these services are unable to operate on a commercial basis.

“We realise that this will have an impact on our customers and we are currently in consultation with SPT regarding this situation.

“We will continue to serve Crosshouse Hospital with our number 11 service which operates up to every seven or eight minutes at peak times. Ayr Hospital will continue to be served by service 52 which operates up to every 20 minutes at peak times and people living in Dundonald and Loans will still be served by the service 10.” A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “It’s a commercial matter for Stagecoach whether to run services without subsidies and for SPT to determine whether local needs justify additional subsidy for the routes concerned if the operator finds it uneconomical to run otherwise.

“The budget for Concessionary Travel has been increased by £10m (from £192m to £202m).

"The small reduction in the reimbursement rate between 2014-15 and 2015-16 (from 58.1% to 57.1%) was determined by an economic model developed with expert independent advice, agreed with the industry and designed to ensure operators are fairly compensated, in line with EU rules.”