Vital service to lose much-needed income.

A VITAL service in Honiton will lose out when the administration of bus passes is transferred to Devon County Council.

Honiton Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is currently paid by East Devon District Council to verify local applications.

That income will be lost when the district council hands over responsibility to County Hall on April 1.

“It is a very sad loss,” said Colin Wright, chairman of the centre’s board of directors.

“I urge anyone who is due to apply for a bus pass to call in at the TIC in the next few weeks, otherwise they will have to contact Devon County Council.”

Glenn Foord, a senior income and payments officer at EDDC, told Mr Wright in a letter: “I understand that Devon County Council has decided not to make use of the services of Tourist Information Centres for the local administration of the scheme from April 1. This means that applicants will have to contact the county council directly and make bus pass applications by post.”

The TIC has been asked to return stocks of stationery to East Devon District Council within 56 days of the start of the new financial year.