The Rural Deprivation in Wales report, which was launched at the Royal Welsh Show said that free and cheaper public transport should be more widely available in Welsh rural areas to combat poverty – however several communities in Radnorshire are currently more concerned over whether they have a service at all rather than what it costs.

From September 1, services including Knighton to Presteigne and Kington; Knighton to Llangunllo; Elan Valley to Nantmel, Crossgates and Llandrindod Wells and the Knighton town service will be scrapped.

Llangunllo resident Ron Wicks said: "When I heard that the bus service was due to finish on August 30, I contacted County Hall and eventually ended up speaking to John Forsey. He informed me that the system was heading for a £230,000 overspend and that several routes would have to be cut, including Llangunllo.

"I mentioned that this village had already lost its school, shop and pub and anyone requiring essentials had to travel to Knighton in the first instance and that it appeared to me that he was simply making Llangunllo and other villages in a similar situation more deprived than they are at this time.

"While I know the council has to keep to a budget it would seem to me that small villages are being targeted (less people to complain, also less voters to annoy) where as it might be possible to remove the odd large bus on some routes and make savings sufficient to allow the small village transport systems to survive in some form."

In Rhayader, which has already been the victim of one re-organisation, Rhayader Community Support has now been alerted to the potential loss of its present Demand Response Bus Service – which was set up for residents affected by the earlier re-organisation.

Carolyn Flynn, community support manager, used the service whilst unable to drive through illness, "I found the service good, and the drivers and administrators very helpful," she said.

"However Powys has decided that it is too expensive and is intending to cut it from September 1. This leaves out of town residents with no public transport, and in many cases will leave them house bound. Some can walk down to town, but not back, and not with a bag of shopping.

"I don't believe this is good enough, and it will socially exclude many vulnerable people. Powys have not, in my opinion, given the service a fair trial. Nine months is not enough for the new way of transport to become consolidated, and the service could possibly be reduced or modified, thus saving money whilst still being able to provide an adequate service.

"We in this rural area are realistic and have long come to accept limitations to the services which more urban areas enjoy, but we should be able to enjoy an occasional bus service, and not be totally socially excluded. Community Transport Rhayader could perhaps be able to take up some slack, but there is a cost involved as people cannot use the free bus pass with this service.

"The Action 50+ group feel very strongly that this service should not be lost, especially when, with rising fuel costs, there will be, without doubt, more and more call upon public transport!"

A meeting has been called on Wednesday, August 13 in The Arches, West Street, Rhayader at 10am with the bus operator and hopefully John Forsey or a representative from Powys County Council.