Anger after bus suddenly stops serving six villages

A Lincolnshire mother has said she is furious after a local bus stopped serving her village “without any warning”.

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.

When she called Stagecoach she was told that it was permanently cancelled and would no longer serve six villages.

She said she understood the villages affected by the cut were Normanby-by-Spital, Glentham, Owmby by Spital, Saxilby, Spridlington, Hackthorn –  The Lincolnite is awaiting confirmation of this from Lincolnshire County Council.

County council cuts

Stagecoach said Lincolnshire County Council has terminated the contractual arrangements, which led to the withdrawal of the extended service to/from Glentham from Welton, but the service still operates between Welton and Lincoln.

They added the change had been advertised on buses and their website.

The company said in a statement:”Stagecoach East Midlands runs a commercial bus service between Welton and Lincoln on a regular half hourly frequency, Monday to Saturday. Until recently, Lincolnshire County Council provided financial support to extend morning and afternoon peak hour journeys to serve villages between Glentham and Welton under a tender arrangement.

“The council has recently reviewed passenger numbers travelling on the extended journeys and decided to end the contractual arrangements, which has led to the withdrawal of the bus service from these villages. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused for the small number of regular customers who travel on these journeys but unfortunately we cannot maintain the route extensions following the cancellation of the funding support.

“Stagecoach continues to operate the main bus service between Welton and Lincoln.”

Debs told The Lincolnite she feels like Stagecoach and Lincolnshire County Council are “blaming each other” and was frustrated that passengers had not been told about the change.

She said: “I am very disappointed, very angry and frustrated. No notice is bad enough, but there is no alternative and a taxi would cost £50 a day. It is outrageous that they didn’t tell anyone.

“The council on the phone to me suggested getting a taxi to Market Rasen then a train to Lincoln from there, but they wouldn’t fund this. It doesn’t help and nobody will do anything about it.

“At the moment I am helping to transport them this week as I am off, or next door are helping, but in the long-term I have no idea what we will do. I have also emailed Sir Edward Leigh about it.”

Lincolnshire County Council has been contacted for a response. They have not provided a comment by the time of publication.