CRADLEY Parish Council is looking at the feasibility of setting up a bus service.

The council sent out a questionnaire because it is concerned about the loss of bus services in the area.

Questionnaires were sent to 600 homes but only 72 were returned. Of those, 62 said they would use a return bus service from Cradley to Malvern.

Cradley Support Group runs a pick-up service at a cost of 20p per mile but the council wants to set up a regular service.

Most respondents said they wanted to use the bus between 9am and noon and over 40 per cent would be prepared to pay £3 for a return journey to Malvern.

Respondents said that ideally the bus would run twice a week but otherwise most wanted to travel on Thursdays.

The majority of respondents wanted to use the bus service to go on shopping trips but a significant proportion also wanted to use it to visit Malvern Theatres.

Council opinion was divided over whether to pursue a transport plan.

Councillors had concerns about cost in relation to the number of parishioners want-ing to use it but Coun Chris Lowder said it would be a case of finding a subsidy, not of using ratepayers' money.

Coun Fred Beard was against it: "Other companies have given up because it doesn't pay," he said. "It just won't be used."

Coun Lowder maintained there was need for service.

"There are a lot of people effectively stuck in their houses and it's a problem," he said. "We're just going to see if anything can be done."

A working group will look at the options, including funding and borrowing Ledbury Council's bus for a trial period.