County Councillors call on County Council leader to save vital bus service
Two Hinckley County Councillors have written to the Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council Nick Rushton and Roberts coaches calling for a threatened bus service to be saved.
The 159 bus which runs between Hinckley and Coalville and serves many local villages faces the axe on February 25th. This is following the County Council withdrawing the funding for the service.
Lib Dem County Councillors Stuart Bray and Michael Mullaney who represent Hinckley have called on the County Council and Roberts Coaches to reach an agreement to keep the service going.
In the letter they state:
"We are writing to both Leicestershire County Council and Roberts Coaches urging you to reach an agreement to keep the 159 Hinckley to Coalville bus service going.
The news that the bus service will end on February 25th following the County Council's decision to remove the subsidy from Roberts is devastating for many local people and villages.
As County Councillors for Hinckley representing stops on the route of the 159 bus we have been contacted by many residents within Hinckley and in other towns and villages calling for this bus service to continue.
This service is the only service that connects Hinckley and Coalville two of the largest towns in Leicestershire. It is the only direct service into Hinckley from many villages including Barlestone, Newbold Verdon and Market Bosworth. It is the only bus service that serves Stapleton and Cadeby.
We have been contacted by many people who would lose out if the 159 was scrapped. Below are just a few examples:
- Lee who lives in Newbold Verdon is registered blind. He needs a bus service to go to and from his supermarket job in Hinckley every day. Losing the 159 would mean he no longer had a daily bus service.
- The couple in Hinckley whose teenage daughter uses the 159 to go to college in Coalville every day. The 159 is the only direct bus service that can take her to Coalville to college.
- The elderly cancer patient living in Stapleton who uses the 159 to get into Hinckley. The 159 is the only bus service that stops in his village.
There are many other examples of people who use the 159 to get to work, education or for shopping, socialising and medical journeys.
There is an argument that the 159 should be stopped because of reduced numbers using the route. However, many bus services have seen dips in numbers post Covid19 but as the country begins to get back to "normal" surely we should give a service like the 159 more time to build back usage before axing it for good?
At a time when we are increasingly worried about climate change surely we should be keeping bus services like the 159 to give people an alternative to driving?
At a time of a cost of living crisis when people are struggling to afford to run cars surely we should be keeping bus services like the 159 as an alternative to people having to use cars?
At a time when local roads are increasingly congested, surely we should be keeping buses like the 159 to help reduce traffic on local roads?
We understand that Demand Response Transport is being raised as an alternative. Surely though this would not help the people who use the bus each day to get to work and college and who need a regular daily scheduled service?
There is a huge demand for saving the 159 bus service. A petition calling for it to be saved has already gained over a 1,000 signatures with more people signing it every day.
"We urge the County Council to work with Roberts Coaches to give the 159 another chance. Many people use this service and would be at a loss if it is scrapped. Even at this late stage we implore you to reach an agreement and keep the 159 serving the people of Leicestershire."