More than 600 signatures have been gathered petitioning Government to restore a minibus service for St. Davids.

Minibus operators Esten Curtis and Grace-Ann Fox launched the petition drive after their request for a subsidy from the Transport Ministry was turned down, and they shut down the service early last month.

The Ministry told the pair Government was not in the subsidy business ? a response which didn't go down too well because Rockaway minibus service receives $20,000 in subsidies every month, according to Mr. Curtis.

Government did offer a fuel subsidy of $120 a week, on the condition that they transported senior citizens free of charge, but "that's still was not helping us as much as we thought", he said.

"We're just asking them to help us out so we can hire someone to help run this service for the people of St. David's."