OTTERBURN could lose the village’s only remaining bus service which serves Newcastle – because it is running at a loss despite being boosted by a county council subsidy.

Operator PCL Travel has given notice that it would be withdrawing from the contract. And its decision comes after Otterburn Parish Council complained to the North Eastern Traffic Commissioner about the standard of its buses on the 808 service.

Speaking at last Monday’s parish council meeting, policy officer for Northumberland County Council Neil Easton explained that PCL owner Peter Cowell was running the service at a loss despite a £75 daily subsidy from the council.

He said: “Going to the traffic commissioner was a bit of a nuclear option; it was the final straw.

“I do not think we will get any operator to do that journey for £75.

“If no-one comes in to do it then we’re in an awkward position.

“We’re already paying more as a subsidy per passenger than we should be, so we’re unwilling to increase that.”

Mr Easton added that he would survey the number of passengers on the bus in the coming weeks, and suggested a bus from Otterburn to Ponteland may be more feasible.

However, PCL’s figure of three or four passengers per day using the service was questioned by the public and councillors at the meeting.

And in November 2016, the service came under fire after passengers were left behind due to a lack of seats on the bus.

Regarding the standard of the buses, parish council chairman Peter Tully said: “There are people who are looking at the floor and they can see the road. There are doors that are wedged closed with towels.”

But Peter Cowell denied these allegations.

Speaking after the meeting he said: “There are certainly no holes in the floor. All our buses have a 100 per cent pass record when they’ve been MOT’d.

“They’re welcome to come and have a look.

“As for the rags in the door, that was three years ago on a refurbished London bus.

“It was to try and stop the draught coming through the door. We took that bus off when people complained it was cold.

“We’ve done everything we can to provide a service, and we haven’t got complaints on any of our other 16 contracts.”