UPSET shoppers claim they will struggle to do their weekly shop now a free bus has stopped. The service had been running from Kew Marks and Spencer to the centre of Richmond since the store opened at the Retail Park three years ago. On Wednesday it was stopped.

For Christine Robynson, of Chertsey Court, Mortlake, the service has been her only access to the shop since illness affected her mobility.

She said: "There is no other means of transport that I could use. I cannot drive so have to go by public transport. If I wanted to use the public bus I would have to cross four roads which I cannot do. It is fundamental to my living."

Mrs Robynson and another regular user of the free service, Rose Hardy, from Kew, started a petition, but despite amassing 135 signatures they were unable to stop the service being cancelled.

Store Manager Georgina Gikes explained why the action had been taken. "We have decided to discontinue the service between our Kew store and the centre of Richmond as we have found that the vast majority of our customers choose to travel to the store by car or use the excellent public transport links, with very few using our bus service."

An R68 public bus service, which began a year ago, will now transport passengers to Kew Retail Park. It will run through Richmond to Hampton Court. Customers in the Hounslow, Twickenham, Kingston, Barnes, Wimbledon and Hammersmith can use buses that connect with the R68.