Legislator Carrie Solages called on Nassau Executive Ed Mangano to hold off on the NICE Bus service cuts that are set to be implemented later this month.

A total of 11 bus routes are set to be eliminated on Jan. 17. Solages asked the executive to hold off on the cuts for two months to allow both sides to renegotiate their contract.

The county-owned bus system is run by a private company. Back in November, the county's Bus Transit Committee approved the cuts to help close a projected $7.5 million budget gap.

A NICE spokesperson told News 12, "NICE is concerned that attempts to reverse this plan will ultimately create additional costs and expenses that will result in the budget gap becoming even deeper for 2016 and, potentially, more widespread service reductions later in the year."

The company told News 12 that the changes are expected to affect roughly 2 percent of NICE's daily ridership.

The bus riders' union said the cuts will affect students who attend colleges and universities in Nassau, and make it harder for them to get to class.

A spokesman for the county executive told News 12 that while they understand the cuts will inconvenience a handful of riders, alternate routes are available.