Stapleford councillors have teamed up in an effort to try and save a "lifeline" bus service. The joint petition has been set up by Councillor Richard MacRae and other councillors who are fighting to keep Trent Barton's route 21 service which will stop running on October 2, 2022.
More than 250 people have signed the petition asking Trent Barton to reconsider the decision and retain the service. The petition will be given to County Councillor John Doddy to present to the Nottinghamshire County Council, to see if the council can step in and help residents.
Speaking about the cancelled service, Councillor Richard MacRae said: "It's not that long away really, and it's the main bus that goes through the Stapleford North ward and it goes all the way from here to Nottingham and then back again. It's the route that people catch to get to the doctors up our end of Stapleford, so it's going to have implications for that.
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"It's also the only bus from our end of Stapleford that takes people directly past the Queen's Medical Centre, so it's just cutting off that lifeline to everyone. We've approached CT4N to see if they can take on the route as they kind of took on the 18 when Trent Barton pulled that but they don't have the capacity to do it."
"There's no thought or consideration for people that live up our end of Stapleford, the fact that they are just pulling the bus, I think it's disgusting, and that's why we set that petition up. It's a joint petition, it's not just me doing it, it's the other councillors in the Stapleford North ward."
He added: "They are also changing the 15 which is going to stop running from 7pm, that puts off people getting from Long Eaton and Ilkeston as well." One of the residents who signed the petition said: "Getting rid of the Kirk Hallam to Nottingham leg of the 21 route will mean residents in the Stapleford North, Trowell Park and Hickings Lane areas will find it much harder travelling to work, to spend time with friends and to go to the QMC and the University of Nottingham.
Another said: "It's already on a limited bus route used by many residents it's unfair to limit for the elderly and vulnerable, cuts have to be made but why cut the 21 when there are more than enough i4s and indigos." Fellow Stapleford Councillor, Pip Hallam-Davies, is also supporting the petition.
She said: "Removing route 21 will drastically impact Stapleford's residents, especially in the north of town, who rely on this service to access Nottingham and QMC. The walking distance to any alternative route is unrealistic, even for the able bodied, but totally impossible for the elderly, the disabled, and anyone with small children.
"I sincerely hope that Trent Barton will reconsider cutting this vital lifeline." In response to the petition, a Trentbarton spokesperson said: “It is of course regrettable that some customers may be inconvenienced by the changes but the vast majority of customers who use the services relating to our Ilkeston network will see no change or an improved service with an increased frequency, improved connects and buses across a wider span of day.
“The vast majority of customers from Kirk Hallam travel within Kirk Hallam or to Ilkeston and these journeys will remain unchanged. A minority will have to connect buses in Ilkeston to continue their journey. Stapleford does have a direct service into Nottingham via QMC called i4.
"This runs every 10 minutes through the day Monday to Saturday. Residents from Pasture Road will still be able to use my15 to Stapleford and make onward connection to QMC and Nottingham using i4. Residents on Hickings Lane will still be able to use CT4N’s 18 service, which is a direct link to QMC and Nottingham.
They added: “Due to fewer people travelling by bus before, during and after the coronavirus pandemic, some routes were no longer commercially viable and this network review is designed to make our services sustainable for the future.”
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