It is good to see that Brighton And Hove Bus Company wants to continue to operate the number 37 bus route until next year (The Argus, January 14), but it will only be able to do so with the benefit of the current council subsidy that helps keep commercially unprofitable services running.

The Conservative-controlled council has already approved yearly reductions in its budget for bus route subsidies that will total £600,000 by 2013.

The number 37 is the only bus to serve the Bristol Estate and one of just two buses that travel through Kemp Town village. The Conservative leadership should state now that the number 37 will be exempt from these cuts and will continue to run after 2012.