Express & Star comment: Removal of bus routes is worrying

They take people to shops, hospitals and work while helping cut traffic on our region's already congested roads.

So it comes as a major disappointment, and not a surprise, to find out more than 1,500 bus routes across the West Midlands have been cut in five years.

And to make matters worse, it comes on a day operator National Express announces record half-year profits.

There is a suspicion when looking at the figures that profits are being put before services and it's about time somebody stepped in to address the balance.

It simply cannot be right that more than 1,500 bus routes have been lost across the region at a time of huge congestion and city pollution.

The balance between profit and service desperately needs to be readdressed.

What it should be about is a joined-up transport strategy getting people to use buses in our town and city centres, to shop there and revitalise the communities.

But what's the point in spending a load of money on improving the shopping environment of our towns and cities if people can't get there because their local bus service has been cancelled.

Bus companies, such as Arriva, complain routes, such as Sunday bus services in Cannock and Stafford, can no longer be run without outside funding.

However, these firms should not purely rely on council funding.

They must do a better job with their services to ensure they can provide for the community – it shouldn't just about achieving a healthy profit margin.

Ageing buses and badly-done timetables are certainly not the answer.

There simply needs to be greater emphasis on public transport.

Without it our roads will clog up further and our most vulnerable in society will become isolated.

This is about more than a physical bus. It is about a healthy, vibrant city, town or village community.