BUS users crowded into Pershore Town Hall last Saturday (April 11) to voice concerns over the future of their local bus services.
Around 70 residents of Pershore and villages along with bus operators First Midland Red and NN Cresswell of Evesham along with the recently elected public transport portfolio holder at Worcestershire County Council Councillor Nik Price attended the meeting.
The event, organised by public transport campaigners Vale Bus and Rail was chaired by Councillor Julie Hemming, mayor of Pershore.
Over-complicated timetables, out-of-date and poor route information along with a lack of publicity and promotion of bus services, were among the main issues raised by participants.
“We were very impressed by the turnout and the genuine and constructive comments of users,” said Vale Bus and Rail chair Julian Palfrey.
“We were also encouraged by the positive response of Councillor Price who was not only willing to listen but offered to take up a number of the issues raised, together with an early meeting with the council’s public transport team to help progress initiatives.
“There was a great response to our survey form distributed at the meeting with more than 50 replies.
“We will be assessing these to assist our representations and input to the county council and transport providers.”
Residents of the formerly well-served villages including Defford, Wadborough and neighbouring villages of Fladbury, Cropthorne and Charlton complained that their travel needs were not being met and were now completely isolated from the local bus network.
Users from Drakes Broughton with a population of 3,500 made up of particularly older residents, expressed their concern regarding access to the nearest bus stop, a mile away from the centre of the village.
The community is served by just one bus a week to Worcester and one to Pershore and which had both recently been under threat.
Many of those present used the popular Pershore PlumLine service that provides a round town service linking housing estates with the town centre, rail station and Pinvin.
Concerns were concerned with long gaps in the timetable at certain times of day and lack of connection with the trains at the Station – one of the main reasons for the establishment of the service almost 40 years ago.
Other users pointed to issues with the Village Hopper service which forms a link, as the only service from several Vale villages into Pershore and Evesham.
An over-complicated timetable, lack of route information and afternoon return services from Pershore were cited as deterring potential users.
The much-improved half-hourly service provided by First Midland Red with additional early morning and early evening services on the X50 between Worcester, Pershore and Evesham was welcomed.
There were concerns, however, regarding the exterior cleanliness of the buses and users also called for better integration and coordination with local bus services to further boost usage.
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