PASSENGERS say they have been “cut off” after a bus company axed stops on a town route as part of a service shake-up.

First Essex got rid of routes 20, 20A, 22A and 22B in Harwich and introduced a new route in an effort to improve the service.

The company had been heavily criticised by passengers for late services, rude drivers and buses that never turned up.

It has been claimed no one was made aware of the changes which were introduced last Monday.

One passenger, who asked not to be named, said: “We are actually far worse off than we were 50 years ago.”

Harwich councillor and former bus driver Dave McLeod said: "I am extremely disappointed with how this has been carried out." 

A spokesman for First said: “It's always disappointing to learn that passengers may have been impacted negatively by the service changes we make.

“The new service 2 was created to combine services 20, 20A, 22A and 22B and we feel over time the revisions we have made to these services will benefit our passengers."