Additional reporting by Sofia Akin

Campaigners say they have been left “imprisoned” in their homes after five bus services were scrapped in a town.

Stagecoach bosses claim passengers are travelling less often than before the coronavirus pandemic which led to the firm making some “really tough decisions” in Folkestone.

But residents say they have been forced to stay home due to the cuts and have splashed out on taxis to get to medical appointments.

It has led to campaigners calling for bus services to be publicly run.

Save our Buses co-founder Sean Spillane, 73, said: “I had a surgery appointment last Wednesday morning and I had to pay £5.80 to get a taxi.

“I am registered disabled and as a pensioner, I cannot gain any extra income.

“When they axe them, they say they have the passengers at heart, but they really do not.”

He says their campaign is inspired by Greater Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham bringing back services under public control.

Campaigners say nationalising buses would give more control over the price of fares and where profit margins are spent.

“All the profits are going to shareholders and that is not on as we are the ones left picking up the pieces,” Mr Spillane added.

“I think it is time to bring services back into public ownership so we can control our destiny.”

In September, services cut included the number 70, which ran between Shorncliffe and Folkestone town centre, as well as the 16a which went between Grebe Crescent in Hythe and Folkestone.

Hythe is also no longer served by the number 16 bus, which travels between Folkestone, Hawkinge and Canterbury.

Also in Folkestone and surrounding areas, the 74 and 75 buses no longer serve Holywell Avenue while the 73, which travelled between Hawkinge, Park Farm and Folkestone town centre, stopped running on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Keith Sansum, also co-founder of the group, says people have been forced to stay at home due to the cuts.

“That is an awful place to be in,” he said.

“We need to subsidise it to allow people to have not just a social life but to live.

“Why should people, whatever age, young or old, be stuck in their houses?”

Cllr Jackie Meade (Lab), who represents the East Folkestone Ward on Folkestone and Hythe District Council, says the cuts mean some residents cannot travel to medical appointments.

“We have children who cannot get to school,” she said.

“In our more rural areas, unless you drive or know someone who does, you are not only isolated, you are imprisoned.

“You cannot get out of your village because the bus service is gone. This has got to be wrong.”

A Stagecoach spokesman says despite more people returning to use buses, there are few people travelling than before Covid.

“Passenger levels are about 85% of what they were in 2019, and operating costs have increased considerably over the same period,” he said.

“As a result, we had to make some really tough decisions around our operating model and service offering in the Folkestone area last year.

"We will always do everything we can to bring buses to as many people as possible, and where a commercial service is unsustainable we will work with local government to find solutions.”

He says Kent County Council has enabled some bus journeys to continue to operate in the Folkestone area and the firm remains “absolutely committed” to working closely with the authority to deliver the “best bus networks”.

The Department for Transport says almost £40 million has been given to KCC to improve local bus services, speed up journey times and deliver lower fares.

“This is in addition to more than £1 million it has received every year since 2014 to support services that passengers rely on to live, work and travel,” a spokesman said.

“We have invested more than £3.5 billion into buses since 2020, and thanks to reallocated HS2 funding, we have extended the £2 fare cap until the end of this year, helping to keep journeys affordable.”