Craziness of axing bus routes - how does this encourage bus use??

Axing bus routes seems a crazy idea (some have been 'saved' but others axed, 'Bristol bus routes saved from closure', Bristol Evening Post, 10 June). Aren't we supposed to be encouraging people to get out of their cars and on to buses etc ? Axing routes will make it less convenient for people to get on the bus. My goodness, all this comes at a time when its been proposed that new bus routes are built over or next to green spaces like the Malago Greenway (and before that the most popular cycle path in the UK!!). First are a million miles away from running the bus 'service' as a proper public service in the public interest. Lets take buses out of private company hands.