COUNCIL bosses put in new bus stops along an Eastleigh road despite the fact that its only service had already been axed.

Three new poles were installed along Bosville just as bus chiefs slammed the brakes on the number 41's journey along the Boyatt Wood road.

Bosses at Solent Blue Line say they gave Hampshire County Council two months notice they would no longer be directing their buses along the road.

But a council gaffe saw the poles put in anyway - leaving confused residents wondering whether they have a bus service or not.

Now red-faced council bosses cannot agree whether to leave the stops where they are in hope of a new service being laid on later or to dig them up and move them elsewhere.

Local Eastleigh borough councillor Chris Thomas said: "To me, it's ridiculous - a complete waste of money. The left hand is not talking to the right hand.

"It's insensitive to locals who used the service and elderly residents seeing new bus stops will presumably go and stand there."

The stops were put in a fortnight ago at a cost of £150 by Eastleigh Borough Council's engineers acting for the county council.

They say the poles will now be relocated to other sites in Eastleigh.

But county council spokeswoman Kate Ball said the future of the stops had not yet been decided.

She said: "The poles in Bosville were programmed in partnership with Solent Blue Line bus company before the withdrawal of the 41 local service became clear.

"It's regrettable that in the short-term buses will not be serving this road but the county council is looking to the possibility of providing a service in the Bosville area from September.

"If the poles are moved they will obviously be used elsewhere. It will not be a waste of money."

Peter Shelley, operations director for Solent Blue Line, said: "Solent gave the local authority two months notice that they intended to withdraw the 41 service so they had plenty of notice.

"The timing of putting in new stops would appear to be a coincidence."