Trentbarton decision to axe the 141 a ‘disgrace’
FURY OVER MOVE WHICH WILL GIVE SOME NO WAY TO TRAVEL
BUS users in Sutton-in-ashfield have slammed Trentbarton’s plans to axe a service as a “disgrace”.
The company plans to cut its 141 service from September 4. The bus provides a route which connects Sutton-in-ashfield, Hucknall, Mansfield and Nottingham.
Trentbarton says the 141 has been struggling since the pandemic. The evening service has been reduced already but, due to lack of passengers, the service is ending – infuriating people who rely on it.
Leon Feller, of Blidworth, says the route allows people to get around the villages in Ashfield.
The 21-year-old said: “I live in Blidworth and it’s the only bus to Nottingham – it doesn’t affect me but it does my nan.
“Blidworth from Nottingham is quite a distance and has no connecting buses. It’s more the elderly and the schoolkids – they get on the bus. It brings them all around Stanton Hill and Skegby.”
Residents and politicians have raised concerns and an online petition calling for the plan to be dropped has been signed by over 3,000 people.
Nottinghamshire County Council says it is looking at alternatives to make sure residents are not left stranded.
Rob Bailey, 47, of Skegby, said: “I do rely on it. What are they going to do about pensioners, and people who have an appointment at the job centre or hospital? I use it quite often. It’s a shame, really. Really shameful. It’s a disgrace.”
Yvonne Taylor, 75, from Sutton-inashfield, said: “It’s not nice. I think they have the bus to Sutton but not Mansfield and Nottingham. It’s not very good.
“The ones that come from Mansfield and come from Nottingham, they’re going to miss out on the 141. It’s not very good. Let’s just see what happens and gets sorted.”
Graham Greaves, 80, who has lived in Sutton-in-ashfield all his life, said: “I don’t rely on it but a lot of people use it. I’ve got relations and I use it but it’s not essential.
“A lot of people use it going to school and work. If it stops you wouldn’t be able to go on it.”
Jeff Counsell, managing director of Trentbarton, said: “We are sorry we must make these changes, but in order to continue to deliver our other services we cannot afford to absorb the losses made by these routes, which simply do not carry sufficient customers.
“The routes affected had been struggling before Covid and have not seen the bounce-back in numbers other services have seen.
“The silver lining in what was a very difficult decision is the extra drivers we can put on to our other services, which will mean much fewer cancellations and a significantly improved reliability.
“The changes will enable us to run more services, more frequently, on the journeys that most people need, growing customer numbers and making them more sustainable.”
The decision comes as the Bus Recovery Grant, a Government support package for struggling bus services, comes to an end in the autumn.
Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny has written to rival bus firm Stagecoach and invited it to take over the service.
Councillor Zadrozny, who is due to meet Mr Counsell today, said: “I will be asking Trentbarton to think again at the meeting I’ve organised.
“They have run down the 141 bus service. In some weeks more buses are cancelled than actually run.
“This has obviously led to lowerthan-expected passenger numbers.
If you run a poor bus service, you get a poor number of passengers. It’s not rocket science.
“I have therefore contacted Stagecoach and requested a meeting to look at various options about taking over the 141.
“Run properly – this can be a profitable route – the number of residents supporting the campaign shows that. I will making these points clear to them and will be inviting them to join me on the bus to see for themselves the potential of this service.”