Passengers have expressed their sadness and frustration after one of Nottinghamshire's major bus operators announced that a string of services in the county would be cancelled. Trenbarton says that it has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and that passenger levels on some routes have not recovered ever since.
The Department for Transport had asked all operators to review their services earlier in the year, with those making a loss either being axed or adapted from October 2. Nottinghamshire County Council managed to save 19 at-risk routes, but unfunded ones in areas such as Ilkeston and Long Eaton will be cut.
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James Kirby, a 48-year-old teacher, said: "It would probably affect me more when I go back to work as I work in Long Eaton and if the trains aren't running on time I would get the bus back. It's a shame if they are reducing any public transport as I think a lot more people really need them, especially if you don’t have a car. I'm a big believer in public transport."
Tracy Freeman, 42, said: "Well yeah, we have one bus in our village so if it doesn’t show up we are stuck, especially for a lot of the younger ones that don’t drive and the elderly."
Jeff Counsell, trentbarton’s managing director, said: "Sadly customer numbers have not yet recovered to the point where we can run all our existing services. The bus sector was hit very hard by the pandemic, the lockdowns and the persistent negative messages about the potential spreading of coronavirus on public transport.
"Regrettably, we must take some difficult decisions about how our network can be sustainable in the long term so we can help as many people travel as possible. We have been talking to the local councils for several weeks about the changes we needed to consider to ensure a sustainable and commercially viable network.
"Through these discussions, some at-risk areas or journeys are being financially supported by central and local government, including the extension of the Bus Recovery Grant until April 2023. Because of this we have been able to retain more of the network than would otherwise have been possible.
"The network review also enabled us to make some improvements to various routes, looking at putting more journeys on at key times for workers and improving reliability so we run on time even more of the time.
"The services being reduced will free up drivers who will be very welcome on other routes as we endeavour to improve their reliability."
Below are all of the changes being made:
The bus operator says the return evening journeys after 7pm on the My15, from Ilkeston to Long Eaton, will no longer be running. There will be no change to the journeys between Ilkeston and East Midlands Airport.
The nines will undergo changes to improve reliability and an earlier morning journey from Sutton to Derby for commuters, while skylink Derby will feature improved frequency to East Midlands Gateway and Kegworth. Diseworth and Long Whatton will no longer be served by this service.
Skylink Nottingham's East Midlands Gateway to Loughborough journeys are to be withdrawn, including evening journeys to and from Coalville after 8pm. The threes' Mansfield night owl will be withdrawn.
The 90's evening journeys may be subject to change or withdrawal, but it is currently part of a review by Derbyshire County Council which has not yet concluded. Trentbarton also says the 20 and 21, amberline, black cat and connect C1/C2 will have a new network centred on Ilkeston and Heanor which will provide half-hourly links between the towns, with hourly extensions at each end. From Ilkeston these will be to West Hallam and Kirk Hallam.
From Heanor they will be to Hucknall via the amberline route, which will also cover Harrier Park in Hucknall in place of the C1, and Mansfield via the black cat route. Between Heanor and Eastwood these will give a 10-minute frequency combined with the rainbow one.
The new network will provide a link to Hucknall train/tram station from the Kimberley and Watnall areas. A new Sunday service between Langley Mill and Hucknall will be introduced.
In Kirk Hallam, Nottingham (20/21) and Heanor and Derby (amberline) will be withdrawn, although other routes will still enable journeys, including through connections, to be made from several places along these routes, the operator says. A new Sunday service will replace the 20 between Stapleford, Beeston Rylands and Nottingham.
Finally, new stops will be added between Kilburn and Clay Cross for the comet, providing links from Little Eaton to Derby, Ripley, Alfreton and Chesterfield.
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