Bus cuts will ‘leave people stranded’

Nottinghamshire County Council has cut its subsidy to the Trent Barton 141 service - which runs between Sutton, Mansfield and Nottingham.

The route currently runs until after 11pm through the week between Mansfield Bus Station and Nottingham - and also stops at Rainworth, Blidworth and Ravenshead

But from 4th August the last bus will depart Mansfield at 6pm, with residents claiming that a third of the town will be left without evening public transport.

Blidworth resident Terry Steele, of Main Street, told Chad that the reduced service will also impact on “the whole of Southwell Road, the Oak Tree and Bellamy Road areas of Mansfield and the whole of Rainworth and Blidworth”.

He said: “It really seems as though they are targeting this area - really all they have to do is divert another service to take in these areas, but they don’t think of that.

“How can they leave a third of Mansfield without an evening bus service? My biggest concern is that it will prevent many older people from getting about.”

The county council spends around £6m a year on bus services and plans to reduce this figure by £1.8m as part of cuts totalling £83m.

The majority of services across the county are run by commercial operators, with less profitable routes financially supported by the county council.

But from next month, subsidies will be removed from under-used routes for services running before 6.30am or after 6.30pm Monday to Saturday, and completely on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

County council spokesman Chris Ward said the decision was taken after extensive public consultation.

He said; “In reorganising services we have done the best we can to serve the majority of people and indeed have retained the majority of the existing services, in particular around rural villages who depend entirely on council-supported services, helping people to get to places of work and training at peak times.”