TRANSPORT chiefs will monitor how the latest bus services axed in Hampshire affect passengers.

The pledge comes after the Daily Echo yesterday revealed that Solent Blue Line was withdrawing some routes because increased traffic congestion was making them late.

The problem has led to a 20 per cent rise in complaints from customers.

Most of the services being axed or altered pass through the Eastleigh area.

Borough transport chief Councillor David Airey said: "The changes they are making are quite small, such as the withdrawal of the X52 and the 52, which have only run for six months and have not attracted many passengers.

"If the changes produce the result of improving reliability and timekeeping, then that will benefit the traveller."

Southampton transport boss Councillor Richard Williams said the changes would be monitored.

He said: "There has been an increase in traffic volumes due to the success of the city centre, particularly due to WestQuay, and Solent have also had difficulties because they cover such a wide area outside the city.

"The services they are cancelling have proved not to be popular and with others they are ending individual buses at specific times of the day, rather than entire services."

He said delays stacked up throughout the day and the decreased frequency of some routes could solve the problem of unreliability. Mr Williams added that the changes were far less drastic than First Southampton's shake-up of its services in September, which led to the Daily Echo's Bus Watch campaign.