Sir – We are sorry Mr Bloom is a bit frustrated with the X1/2 service and the timetables (Letters, July 16). But it’s not quite as it seems.

The evening and Sunday journeys he’s missing were supported by Oxfordshire County Council but they withdrew the funding from May 31. Without that support from the council we can’t run these lightly-used journeys.

We decided we would fund those services ourselves for a month until we could introduce a revised X1/2 timetable which included the new Harwell Connector. So, as the previous stocks had run out, we printed a new leaflet, for the interim period.

It is best practice to put the print date on any timetable.

We made sure that all the information about the changes was published on our website and by posters on the buses. There were roadside displays at all stops, which were updated before the changes came into force.

We certainly don’t like to see funding for subsidised services being removed. Buses are a lifeline for many residents in rural Oxfordshire but we can’t continue to provide services which operate at a financial loss. I hope this explains the situation.

Stefan Soanes
General Manager, Thames Travel