Villagers cut off by bus service changes

CHANGES to bus services have left villagers at Glazebury, near Warrington virtually “cut off” at certain times of the day, according to two local councillors.
Councillors Matt Smith and Chris Vobe, both members of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, have expressed dismay at the changes.
They say they are working with bus operators Network Warrington to try and find a solution.
Changes to the 19 and 28 services, which run between Warrington and Leigh, mean the previous 15-minute service has been reduced to one bus an hour running through Glazebury between 10am and 4pm.
Cllr Smith said: “This is a very frustrating situation, particularly for pensioners and those without cars.
“Whereas people in Glazebury would previously have been able to catch a bus every 15 minutes, there is now a wait of an hour between services.
“During the daytime, the number 19 bus has been reduced to an hourly service and the 28 bus service is turning round when it reaches Culcheth. In some cases, this means that people are having to catch two buses to get to and from the neighbouring village!
“Whilst this creates a great deal of inconvenience, the most acutely affected area is Glazebury, where residents are essentially ‘cut off’ during the day.
“We are now asking Network Warrington to review their plans, and have asked that they do not ignore Glazebury.”
The two councillors report that they have spoken with dozens of residents who are affected by the service changes – and say that the decision to cut buses to one per hour during off-peak times has resulted in overcrowded and cramped journeys for some.
In one instance, having already waited an hour, a parent with a double buggy was denied a space on the bus when it finally arrived simply because it was already too full.
Cllr Vobe said: “Cllr Smith and I have taken the lead on this issue locally.
“We recognise the severe financial constraints that Network Warrington find themselves in. If it is to be their policy that they can no longer afford to fund transport outside of the borough – for example, to neighbouring towns like Leigh – then they must at least stick to the boundaries of Warrington.
“Glazebury is part of our borough and Warrington does not simply stop at the Raven pub in Culcheth. It sadly feels as though one village is
being forgotten about, and neither Matt nor I are content to allow that to happen.”
Cllr Smith and Cllr Vobe have moved to reassure residents that they are in constructive discussions with Network Warrington and pledged not to allow the issue to “wither on the vine.”
Cllr Smith added: “We have already made very strong representations to Network Warrington at the highest levels and will be following up our correspondence with further talks in the coming weeks. At the very least, we want to ensure that the service operates through Glazebury at all
times.
“We are encouraging residents who have been affected by these changes to let us have their stories. The more evidence we have to present to Network Warrington, the more effective our case will be.”
The councillors can be contacted by email on [email protected] or [email protected].