A Bristol pensioner says changes to her local bus service have left her feeling "cut off" from her community. Older people across Bristol are being severely affected by the impact of bus cuts and services, whether it’s impacting them getting a pint of milk or making it to an urgent medical appointment.
This week, Bristol launched our Better Buses for Bristol campaign to call for better bus services in and around Bristol to address what many people say is a state of chaos, with another 42 routes set to be scrapped in April.
Doreen Reay, 73, lives on the outskirts of Brislington but often ends up 'bus hopping' on two services just to get to the centre of the neighbourhood. She said when she wants to go to her doctor or pharmacy in Brislington, it's easier for her to take a bus from her house into Temple Meads and then take another bus back to Brislington - and then do the same to get home again.
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She said there used to be a number 36 which went into Brislington, but that it has been replaced by the 96 which only comes every two hours or so. Doreen said: “Going by bus is the only transport I’ve got, it took me from 9am to 1pm to go to Tesco to do my shopping last week. To come into Brislington to get to the doctor’s or chemist, that’s a big problem.”
Doreen, who is also a member of the Bristol Older People’s Forum (BOPF), said getting to the doctor by foot also involved a walk up a hill, adding: “If you’re going to the doctor, the last thing you want is a walk up a hill. Some people have nearly passed out or can’t breathe. It’s a really urgent problem.
“We are desperate, we really are and there are people less able to walk to the doctor than I am. We may as well be living on a desert island, it really is bad, we are cut off and can’t make any arrangements. We get all these promises but no-one follows through,” she said.
For older and less able people, there’s often a complete reliance on getting anywhere by bus. Age UK describes bus transport for these passengers as a “vital link to a wide range of services”.
Age UK CEO, Kay Libby, said: “Transport options for older people without a car in Bristol are limited and cuts to bus services, along with shortages of drivers which cause long delays between buses, are making things worse. The loss of bus routes, fewer buses during the day and delays between buses affect everyone, but for some older people who aren’t car owners, this is a vital link to a wide range of services whether that’s getting to a health appointment or to the shops.”
She said that there were also added problems for some older people. “For instance, people with reduced mobility cannot stand for long periods of time waiting for a bus that has been delayed or cancelled and are much less likely to use a Voi scooter instead,” she said.
Ms Libby said using technology to access timetables was also a challenge for older people. “Some older people are less likely to own a smartphone too and so there are some who won’t be able to easily find out when the next bus will turn up. These problems can lead to people using cars instead of public transport, which is just adding to Bristol’s problems with congestion and poor air.”
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Bristol Older People Forum (BOPF) chair, Christina Stokes, said: “The impact on older people of reducing bus routes and unreliable buses is enormous. Older people can no longer get to essential services such as GP practices, dental surgeries, post offices/banks or supermarkets.
“They are becoming isolated in their homes. Cancelled buses leave people, often with reduced mobility, to stand for long periods at bus stops or they are forced to walk significant distances to get to other buses, this is the issue that is raised by our members more than any other,” she said.
Following cancellation of routes last year and with the further cuts due in April, withdrawal of council subsidies, rising costs and a shortage of bus drivers has seen the situation deteriorate. The major issues voiced by the public were cancelled, delayed or packed buses.
Following the call for better buses for the Bristol public, metro mayor Dan Norris announced on Wednesday that there is a £7m package to address the transport situation which will include ‘turn up and go’ buses during peak travel times. This will provide a “London style frequency” on five key routes and buses every 15 minutes on mainline routes.
The metro mayor said this ‘turn up and go’ plan will result in 3,000 additional journeys each week across the region from April and the funding has been secured via the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) BUs Service Improvement Plan.
The five Bristol bus routes at peak times will see eight buses an hour along Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue, nine buses an hour through Church Road, ten an hour to Fishponds and 13 from the University of the West of England (UWE) to Bristol city centre.
- Read next:
- Bristol to get 'London style' frequency on key bus routes across the city
- ‘Cancelled, delayed or packed’: More passengers share their experiences of Bristol’s buses
- More Bristol bus services to be scrapped in April but franchising is still not on the table
- Pressure mounts for Bristol region bus franchising deal as West of England mayor asked to consider option
