Bus cuts causing misery for Bedford Borough residents

Services 4 /10 has been reduced to 1 every 45 minutes in each direction. Service 5 has been reduced to 1 every 30 minutes. And services such as the 53 bus in Kempston and 41 in Biddenham continue to not run on Sundays.

A concerned resident wrote to us, ‘I am very disappointed with the number 10 bus service…. I understand the bus due at 8.00am was 45 minutes late and I went for the 8.55 which finally arrived at 9.20. This is simply unacceptable as 3 other people that were waiting for the same bus said I am going home and will take my car into town as this service cannot be trusted or relied on.’

‘This situation cannot continue and must be sorted out as a matter of urgency. I have been talking to people who need to get to work and school no one is happy with the service since it was made 45 minutes between each bus.’

‘Please can you help as we don't know how to make Stagecoach listen to the problems we are experiencing.’

In Kempston, residents are also frustrated. Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have heard from residents in Hillgrounds, who have no Sunday service from the 53 bus who say “[The] lack of buses (particularly on Sundays) has led to a noticeable increase in private hire vehicles. However, taxis are not affordable for those on limited incomes.”

Wootton residents have the bizarre situation of being able to catch a bus on weekdays at 09:17 from St Mary’s Road, then one at 09:19 from Fields Road, but then nothing until 10:19 at Fields Road – two within two minutes, and then no service for an hour.

Biddenham residents are disadvantaged too. There are no buses at all on Sundays and local resident Victoria Kahl commented, “I feel that Biddenham deserves some kind of bus service on a Sunday… also there are no buses available from 5 – 5.30 for people finishing work.”

Victoria has set up her own petition for Biddenham, available here Petition · Implement a Regular and Reliable Bus Service for Biddenham - Biddenham, United Kingdom · Change.org and writes, “the St Mary's development does not even have a bus service at all. Biddenham has no shop, and the nearest food shops are a 25 minute walk away in Fairhill. Many homes in the new developments are designated social housing and affordable housing, and not every household has access to a car.”

Cllr Michael Headley, who is leading a petition against cuts to the number 4/10 and 5 buses said, “Residents across the area are deeply concerned by these cuts to their services. This situation is unacceptable. The Conservative Mayor has neglected the importance of bus services for so many people. We call on Bedford Borough Council to do more to reverse the bus cuts damaging our Borough.”