Lifeline for bus users hit by axed services

PASSENGERS who use a Derbyshire bus route which is set to be cancelled will be able to catch buses again after the county council stepped in.

Hundreds of people who use the 71 and 72 Notts & Derby bus service between Derby city centre and Belper faced being stranded by Christmas as the company said it was no longer financially viable.

The service, which calls at Openwoodgate, Bargate, Holbrook, Coxbench and Little Eaton, will end on Christmas Eve, but now Derbyshire County Council has helped Notts & Derby to extend its other lines to cover the area.

The council-supported 59/59A and 137/8 services will serve the routes currently used by the 71 and 72 buses from Wednesday, December 29.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways, assets and transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, said: “When we heard that Notts & Derby were going to stop running the 71/72 service we were of course very disappointed.

“We understand that the national shortage of bus drivers is adding to the challenges that bus companies are facing and the reason for the company wanting to stop the 71/72 service.

“After discussions with them we are pleased that our existing contracts with the company for the 59/59A and 137/8 service are going to be amended to take in the 71/2 route.

“We do realise that the new timetables won’t quite offer the same service to all the users of these services as before, but realistically it is the best we can do at the moment until the bus driver shortage situation improves.”

The cancellation of the original 71/72 route was announced last month as the industry deals with a nationwide driver shortage and lower passenger numbers following the coronavirus pandemic.

The new services, which will have adapted timetables which can be seen online, cover:

59/59A: Derby to Shipley View via Little Chester, Oakwood, Breadsall, Morleymoor, Smalley, Stanley Common, West Hallam and Ilkeston.

137/138: Belper to Langley via Far Laund, Whitemoor, Openwoodgate, Bargate, Holbrook, Kilburn, Denby, Loscoe and Heanor.

Amber Valley Borough councillor Ben Bellamy, leader of the Labour group, had previously called on the county council to make funds available for new routes but said the cancellation was still concerning.

He said: “Nearly 1,500 people signed the petition to save these services. Whilst it is welcome that due to their pressure, some service will remain, it is simply not acceptable to be reducing public transport at a time when a climate emergency threatens our very existence.

“They could quite easily put on smaller minibuses to keep the service hourly. As to the shortage of drivers, Notts & Derby appear to be paying less than other local bus companies.

“Ultimately this whole saga shows that the private sector cannot be trusted with public services.”