Lincoln village bus service to be reinstated

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Lincolnshire County Council is reinstating the number 11 bus service this month after cuts to the route left some local village residents suddenly stranded.

As previously reported, one mum was left angry after the bus stopped serving her village this week.

Debs Stevenson told The Lincolnite her daughter and her neighbour’s son were waiting for the Number 11 bus service at Normanby by Spital due at around 7.30am on Wednesday, October 31, which would take them to school at Lincoln UTC, but it didn’t turn up.

She was told by Stagecoach it would be permanently cancelled and would no longer serve six villages, understood to be Normanby-by-Spital, Glentham, Owmby by Spital, Saxilby, Spridlington, Hackthorn.

Stagecoach confirmed the withdrawal of the extended service to/from Glentham from Welton after the county council ended the contract. They added the decision was made due to low passenger numbers.

Council reinstate bus service

Following comments from the communities along the route Lincolnshire County Council has now decided that the service will be reinstated in full on November 12, but that the number of users will be closely monitored.

Executive Member for Highways and Transport, Councillor Richard Davies, said: “We constantly review financially-supported bus services in order to ensure value for money.

“The service 11 bus from Glentham to Welton has been under close scrutiny for quite some time with the number of people using the service being very low.

“It was therefore decided that it no longer presented value for money and the contract with Stagecoach East Midlands was terminated in October.

“However, following representation from the communities along the route, the service is being reinstated from November 12. This date has been selected to ensure that the service can be registered with the traffic commissioner and online publicity updated.

“The number of users of the service will be closely monitored to ensure the service is being used.

“People should also remember that the CallConnect on-demand bus service is also available six days a week for residents wanting to get to Gainsborough, Market Rasen and uphill Lincoln.”