SLASHED bus services in Old Hill were the centre piece of Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP-hopeful Stephanie Peacock at the Labour conference.

Miss Peacock used her speech to call for local buses to be returned and highlighted the impact the changes have had on local people.

Stephanie Peacock said: "Over a hundred people attended our public meeting last week showing the huge concern there is about this issue.

"I wanted to highlight their concerns and call again for the bus operator to think again.'

Miss Peacock took part in the transport debate at the conference in Manchester and raised the plight of residents who no longer have a direct link to Russells Hall Hospital.

She told the thousands of delegates: "London buses have greater regulation and companies have to bid for the routes.

"They cant just decide to change them on a whim so I have a simple request: with all this talk of devolution, I’d like to ask that we devolve regulation of the busses to the West Midlands."

She added: "Because the privatised model of buses has failed and we need a bus policy that gives greater powers to local people, delivers greater integration of transport spending with health and education spending.

"And is part of a long term, integrated, transport strategy."

National Express withdrew the 297 and 205 bus services earlier this summer leading to a raft of objections from local residents and politicians.

Jack Kelly, head of external communications at National Express West Midlands, faced 100 residents at a public meeting in Old Hill.

He said: “There is clearly a lot of public feeling regarding the recent changes to the 297 and in particular from residents on Lodgefield and Station Road.

"I promised the meeting I would take their concerns back and see what we could do to address them."

He added: "We are currently looking at ways to improve services to this area and I will stay in touch with local residents throughout this process.”