Vital bus services will be axed and many routes through Copeland reduced following a move by Stagecoach which could “devastate” a community.

The company is withdrawing services between Cockermouth and Sellafield, and Moresby Parks and Whitehaven from January 3. It will also reduce routes between Kells and Whitehaven, and around Egremont.

Stagecoach admitted the move “will cause inconvenience” but added “no change is not an option” as passenger numbers have been dropping.

However, Alan Lawson, chairman of Moresby Parish Council, said: “It will devastate Moresby, it’s only a little village and we have to fight for everything. I don’t know what pensioners are going to do, a lot need to go to town for the doctors.

“I went to our over-60s bingo club with my wife and all hell broke loose. People were screaming they will have no way to get to Whitehaven.”

David Moore, chairman of the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group which scrutinises the nuclear industry including Sellafield, said: “It’s really disappointing at a time when we are trying to encourage Sellafield and other companies to get people out of their cars.

“The A595 is a dangerous stretch of road and the fewer cars on it the better. Sellafield needs to have a greener travel plan and Stagecoach should work with them to see how this service should be enhanced.”

Lucy Bailey, from Age UK, said: “Any cuts to bus services will impact on elderly people’s independence.”

The Sellafield service takes workers from Whitehaven, Cleator Moor, Egremont and Thornhill. The Moresby to Whitehaven route provides passengers with a single Monday to Friday return trip and two on Saturdays.

Other changes include:

Services between Kells and Whitehaven, calling at Greenbank and Woodhouse, will be reduced to half-hourly from three buses an hour

Services between Frizington and Whitehaven reduced from every 30 minutes to every hour

Buses between Egremont and Whitehaven, calling at Bigrigg, will no longer serve The Larches, Gillfoot Road, and Orgill

There will also be changes to running times on the service from Carlisle to Whitehaven and the 9.15am (Monday to Friday) from Egremont will be withdrawn.

A Stagecoach spokeswoman said: “We are making changes to some services following a thorough review.

“With regard to the changes on the Sellafield service the numbers using the bus have been declining for some time.

“The changes are designed to ensure we can continue to offer the widest network possible for as many people as possible with the finite resources available.”