Jesenice, a municipality in northwest Slovenia, will no longer have public transport starting from 1 July after three open calls for bus transport over the past year have ended without a single bidder taking part. Locals and greens think more should be done to preserve a valuable service.

The announcement was made in a Facebook post on 9 May, leading to dozens of angry comments by locals who said the absence of public buses would severely affect older persons and people with disabilities.

The municipality later explained that it was working on a new model of circular routes that would take in not just the city but also the neighbouring settlements of Hrušica, Blejska Dobrava, Planina pod Golico and Javorniški Rovt.

Alpe Adria Green, an NGO based in Jesenice, described the news as "unacceptable". "While communities around the world are trying to find optimal solutions and promote clean forms of mobility ... in Jesenice we are taking a step back," it said.

As for the proposed new system of circular routes the organisation said that such plans typically take several years to develop. "It is unacceptable that the city remain without public transportation during this time."

It called on the municipality to come up with a stop-gap solution that would provide accessible public transportation for all locals.

With a population of almost 22,000, Jesenice is the country's 16th largest municipality.