ANGRY bus passengers face a wait to see if the service to their part of Newport im-proves - or gets worse.

Complaints about Newport Transport's decision to slash services to Ridgeway and Mount Pleasant have flooded into the Argus.

Newport Transport boss Trevor Roberts, pictured, has defended the decision, saying it had been taken on commercial grounds, and warned there could be more changes later this year.

Meanwhile, Newport city council has revealed it is trying to find a solution to the problem.

Earlier this month, elderly and disabled people told us how the decision was affecting them, and accused the company of taking away their lifeline.

Mark Hooper, of Afon Mead, Rogerstone, also contacted the Argus to say the cuts meant his wife, Gaynor, and two children now have to leave home much earlier in the mornings for work and school. Tom, 17, attends the football academy at Hartridge, and Casey-Jane, 15, is a pupil at Bettws.

"They have to leave at 7.20am. It is dark when they leave and the children are at their respective schools by 8am," said a concerned Mr Hooper.

Mr Roberts, managing director of Newport Transport, said: "We couldn't sustain the previous high level of service on a commercial basis as there weren't sufficient numbers using the buses."

He said the private limited company received no subsidies for these routes. Newport city council, which has the powers to secure "socially necessary bus services", were informed of their intentions last summer.

Mr Roberts said he intended to review the service in about six months. "There are one or two things we are looking at now, just to tweak it."

But he warned if the present service could not be sustained commercially there could be further changes.

There are other bus operators who have services operating along the main roads into and out of the city.

A spokeswoman for Newport council said: "While it is the decision of Newport Transport to take such measures for their own commercial reasons, we can appreciate the concerns of those who use these particular routes.

"We will be meeting operators and asking them to consider alternative options."