Demonstrators call on Stagecoach to restore lifeline bus service – as pensioners left ‘isolated’

Bus users held a demonstration outside Barnsley Interchange on January 24 to call on Stagecoach to reinstate the 43 and 44 services, which they say have left Kingstone residents with no choice but to use taxis or rely on friends and family to get to town.

The bus company says that the number of customers using the service had fallen, whilst costs increased – meaning the costs of running the route were no longer being met.

Eric Walton, who lives on Broadway, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he used to tend to his allotment on Park Road two miles away every day – but that is now impossible.

Mr Walton said: “I used to come into town three or four times a week, I’ve restricted that to once a week now. My son brings me in and I get a taxi back, which is £6.50.

“I’ve got to get a taxi to hospital, because I’m being treated for skin cancer.”

Mr Walton, who lost his wife in March, is now ‘more isolated’.

“If they went up on Broadway and saw how many old folk there is and poorly people, they’d understand why we want the service back.

“There used to be four buses an hour. If they’d cut it to two an hour, or even one an hour, that’s all we’re asking.

“I’ve spoke to an old lady this morning, she used to come into Barnsley three or four times a week, she hasn’t been in since.

“They’re depending on neighbours and family. There’s a lot of people not here today because they can’t get to town.”

Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, was at the demonstration, and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that public transport in South Yorkshire is ‘broken’.

He added that he will meet with campaigners to see if other services can be re-routed to serve the area.

“We need to fix public transport in South Yorkshire,” he said.

“The problem that we face is that we’re not given enough money by the government to fix buses in South Yorkshire in the way that I would like, that clearly the community want us to do.

“At the moment, we spend about £21m to protect services in South Yorkshire, that’s gone up since 2019, from £7m.

“We’re going to meet with the campaigners, and talk to them about any current services that we’re paying for that we can maybe adapt or change.

“The bus companies at the moment call all the shots. They decide where buses go, how much to charge, they decide what the timetable looks like.

“All we can do is step in and pay for those services.

“We’re working through the franchising assessment process, which is to take the buses back into public control.

“Legally, we’re not allowed to bring them back into public ownership.

We’re going through that process quicker than anyone else in the country.

“The next big step is the audit process, and we’re hoping to do that at some point in the first half of this year.”

Councillor Chris Wray, who represents the Dodworth ward, added that patients at the merged Woodland Drive Medical Centre are struggling to attend appointments.

“Woodland Drive is a particularly elderly community, but it affects everything further afield. You’ve got people coming from Pogmoor, from Gawber, New Lodge, all going to the Woodland Drive Medical Centre,” he said.

“If there’s no bus there, they’re not getting to their appointments, it’s completely wrong.

“There’s a route that goes up Dodworth Road already – it wouldn’t be difficult to reroute the service to Woodland Drive.”

However, a spokesperson for Stagecoach said the number of passengers using the 43/44 route has reduced by 21 per cent over the last few years – and the firm was no longer meeting its running costs.

The spokesperson said: “From 29 October 2023, following discussions with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, buses 22, 43 and 44 were replaced by new routes 22a and 22c.

“These provide new direct links to Barnsley Hospital and provide an improved frequency of up to four buses an hour between Barnsley and Gilroyd.

“We had to make some changes to services in this area as ridership on the 43/44 had reduced by 21 per cent over the last four years and costs to run them have increased by over 20 per cent during the same period, meaning they were no longer covering their running costs.

“Most passengers who live off Broadway are within 400 metres of an alternative bus stop with a frequent bus service. For anyone unable to walk the short distance, other alternatives such as Door 2 Door community transport are available to use.”