A BUS service shake-up has caused chaos, claim angry passengers.

Pensioners, workers, schoolchildren and patients could all be affected by the changes which have hit 16 routes across Hampshire.

Bus users have criticised First bus, claiming the new changes were brought in to save money and introduced without considering passengers.

The firm’s bosses say it was matching resources with demand and trying to make the buses more reliable.

Mavis Jackson, 75, of Eastleigh, said: “I think all these changes are always brought in to cut costs and trim the service just a little bit more each time, it is the same with everything nowadays.”

Ethel Smith, 69, of Bitterne, Southampton, said: “People get used to a service and then they change it. People could be left waiting for hospital and miss an appointment, it’s terrible.”

There are six routes being changed in Southampton, affecting services to destinations including Hedge End, Hamble, Bitterne, Shirley, Millbrook and Lordshill.

New timetables have been written up for services 1/1A, 26, 7, 8, 8A, 17/17A, 16 and 7A which goes to Southampton General Hospital.

Fareham and Gosport have seen changes to the 26, 27, 28, 76, 672 and school service 634.

This will affect routes to Warsash, Whiteley, Locks Heath and Swanwick. Passengers may also be affected by three other changes in Portsmouth.

Marc Reddy, First Hampshire and Dorset boss, said: “We constantly review our networks to ensure that they best reflect the ways people are actually travelling.

“Most of the changes being made in Southampton are designed to improve the punctuality and reliability of services, while in some cases the frequency of buses is changing slightly.

“In a bid to improve the punctuality of the service, we have taken the decision to split one cross-city route. To minimise the impact for local people, though, we have put through-tickets in place, and have extended some peak hour journeys to call at key destinations.”

He went on to say a new fleet of “super low buses” were being introduced to make things easier for wheelchair users.