Passengers fearing bus cuts ‘nightmare’
STAFF SHORTAGES FORCE OPERATOR TO REDUCE SERVICES
CUTS to city bus services due to staff shortages will be a “nightmare” say passengers.
Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has been forced to temporarily scale back its services from Monday January 10, with its night buses suspended and a reduced Saturday timetable being adopted during the week.
Regulars on the city’s buses said the changes would significantly affect their lives with many raising concerns over the company’s announcement yesterday.
The bus company, which has been forced to cancel a raft of services at short notice, currently has a shortfall of around 5 percent on the number of drivers it needs.
In recent weeks a further 5 percent of drivers have been forced to selfisolate due to Covid.
Retired Bryan Musson, who travels on buses three times a week, described the situation as a “nightmare”.
The 79-year-old from Bingham – who comes to Nottingham regularly – added: “It will affect a lot of people. “It is just really bad news.
“I do not drive at all so I always use the bus.”
He went on to say: “It will just make it very difficult for everyone to travel around the city – just a nightmare.”
His friend Sheila Mann, added: “I think it would be quite dangerous to wait longer for buses in the evening.”
Her concerns have been echoed by other worried women, who said they would now avoid travelling at night.
Retired Sheila Bailey, 66, said: “It will be dangerous in the evenings for women, I think.
“I do not want to be waiting for more than half an hour for a bus at night – it is dangerous.”
Her friend Doox Small, who is disabled, added: “I am struggling as it is – because I am disabled and I live in St Ann’s where there are not a lot of bus links.
“Sometimes buses just get cancelled where I live.
“I once had to go to the City Hospital and had to wait 45 minutes for a bus.”
Ms Small, who is in her 50s, added:
“I think it will affect students for sure as well.
“It is not good for the city at all.” Silis Bovaird, a Nottingham Trent University student living in West Bridgford, added: “It is just a nightmare. Especially for a city like Nottingham where there is a very dense student population.
“It will make normal things like going out a lot more expensive.”
The A1 and A2 school buses will operate for Trinity, Bluecoat and Nottingham Girls Academy, along with extra buses timed for the start and end of the school day on the main NCT network.
Additional journeys will also operate to meet key working hours at Colwick Industrial Estate, the QMC and Ruddington Business Park.
Final arrangements for Boots Site and university services will be confirmed next week. The Nightbus network will be suspended.
NCT managing director David Astill said: “Prior to Christmas, despite our best efforts, our service reliability was not at the standard our customers expect or at a standard we are happy to continue delivering. We recognise that short-notice cancellations cause inconvenience to customers when an advertised bus doesn’t turn up.
“By adopting this revised timetable, customers will be able to plan around the level of service we feel we can confidently and consistently deliver.”