About 40 protesters – residents and neighbours of Goodwin Retirement Village in Crace – held the silent demonstration at the 54 bus stop near Crace shops to protest the government’s proposed changes to their bus route.

The changes would mean the 54 stop at the shops would be axed, forcing travellers to walk nearly one kilometre to Gundaroo Drive to catch a bus into Gungahlin before catching a second to Belconnen.

Sue Brudenall, Crace residents committee secretary, said most of the village residents travelled to Belconnen for their doctors and medical appointments, shopping or the movies adding that there are road works and no shelter on the way to the new stop at Gundaroo Drive. Ms Brudenall said the bus was also used by University of Canberra students.

In Braddon, Jennifer Bluhm – a resident of retirement village Girrahween Lodge – said potential changes to the route 7 bus expected in 2019 were "insulting" with older locals concerned that the changed routes will confine them to the inner-north.

Currently Lodge residents are able to catch the route 7 bus outside their door on Girrahween Street, but changes would force them to either walk three block to Cooyong Road for a route 52 bus or six blocks west to Northbourne Avenue for the then-completed tram.

The government has suggested inner-north residents use the free community shuttle for seniors and those with mobility issues but this service only takes them to Civic, Dickson or Ainslie.

According to Ms Bluhm there has been no consideration of the social cost of these changes  which will confine people to suburbs, forcing medical personnel to travel to them and friends who no longer drive to be separated.

Transport staff have told Ms Bluhm the changes may be reviewed but it's possible they would stay as planned.