An MP has stepped into a row over a bus service which will be axed this week despite carrying more than 300 passengers a day.

The 400 route, to be ended on Saturday, runs between East Grinstead and Horley via Gatwick and is relied on by many elderly people.

West Sussex County Council says it can no longer afford the £190,000 running costs.

But Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames has written to the Minister for Transport expressing concern over the impact of the withdrawal will have and the wider financial problems facing the county council.

He said: "It is unacceptable that many people who still rely entirely on the bus for everyday travel cannot get to and from work properly or conveniently.

"I have made strong representations to the Minister for Transport to underline the adverse impact of the removal of this type of service on the local community and particularly on elderly and disabled persons."

Sue Hull, chairman of the East Grinstead Access Group, says the elderly and handicapped will be hardest hit.

"The bus runs through estates in East Grinstead such as Imberhorne and Gardenwood where many people have lived ever since they were built in the Fifties.

"There are many elderly widows who don't drive, or can't afford to keep a car, and therefore rely on the bus to take them into the centre of town.

"It will be hard on them, and anyone unsteady on their feet or in a wheelchair, as they will struggle to manage the walk to get the main 822 bus, and won't be able to afford taxis."

Metrobus has offered a replacement service through Gardenwood twice a day, but Mrs Hull says it will not solve the problem as the buses arrive in town too late to get to doctor's appointments, or early trains.

She said: "It is such a shame as the 400 service is wonderful and the drivers are superb.

"It's a bit like a social club - everybody talks to everybody, which goes to show how regularly it is used. If we lose it, it will be a blow to hundreds of people."

Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton, cabinet member for environmental services, said: "A recent survey showed there were approximately 320 single passenger journeys per day on the service. This is well below the expectations when the service was introduced.

"We never like to lose a bus service but, with the best will in the world, my limited budget will just not stretch to the additional £70,000 to keep this service running given the level of passengers.

"This situation shows the scale of the problem we face at a time when we want to encourage more people to use public transport as a real alternative to the car. West Sussex has simply not been immune to the significant increases in the cost of public transport over the last two years."

Service 400 was first introduced under contract by West Sussex County Council in June 1995 as part of efforts to encourage more people to use public transport to get to work in the Gatwick area.

BAA Gatwick previously made an annual contribution of £20,000 towards the cost of the service but this was withdrawn in April 2002.

The county council stepped in to meet the extra cost in order to keep the service going but, when the contract approached the renewal date, the tender quote had gone up from £122,000 per annum to £191,000.

The council says at least 50 per cent of the current passengers can make use of alternative services including the 84/85/291.