THERE could still be severe cutbacks to the Island’s bus service, with nearly £2m still needing to be found to pay for this year’s planned services.

More taxpayers’ money than budgeted is needed to pay for the Connex contract and if States Members block moves for a top-up, services could be cut back.The Finance and Economics Committee have today issued comments on the bus strategy that throw doubt over funding for this year and beyond.

The committee say that if extra funds are not made available through the fundamental service review process, then Environment and Public Services will either have to cut back elsewhere within their own budgets, find other ways of getting the money or order cutbacks in services.Meanwhile, this morning in the States a plethora of questions to be asked about the bus service by Senator Ted Vibert were unexpectedly withdrawn.

Questions on events leading up to the selection of Connex as the winner of a £30m contract over seven years were tabled for today’s sitting.