Stranded passengers take action over cuts (From Gazette Series)

Stranded passengers take action over cuts

STRANDED Uley residents have been left high and dry after a bus company announced plans to cut its only daytime service from the village.

From April 1, Stagecoach will restrict the number 20 service between Dursley and Stroud to early mornings and evenings. The firm will also cut all Saturday buses meaning a huge reduction from its current hourly cycle.

The move has enraged passengers from the villagers who will be unable to get to Stroud or Dursley during these times.

Doreen Gavlik, 73, who lives on Lamper View, said: "I'm so angry, I use the bus twice a week to go to Stroud where I get my hair done and go shopping. I'll be stranded now."

Carol White, of Raglon Way, told the Gazette: "I have one daughter and use the bus to take her swimming on Saturdays. There are no activities for children at weekends in Uley so it's really annoyed me."

Pensioner Marlene Robinson, who uses the bus with her husband Austin, said she was worried about the cuts because she used the bus throughout the week.

She added: "I don't know how I will get anything done now. The bus was never empty, people relied on it."

Last week villagers held a meeting to discuss the cuts, where Stroud district councillor Jane Wood (Uley, Independent) revealed a letter from the bus company admitting passenger numbers had risen by 10 percent over the last eight months.

However, Anthony Evans, Stagecoach's marketing manager, told the Gazette that road works and congestion had made it impossible to run a regular service along the route.

He said: "To run a regular service we'd have had to add additional buses to the route and run at irregular times because of disturbances in the area.

"Passenger figures on the number 20 bus have been insufficient for a long time now too.

"We've had problems with this bus for some time, it would have been a nightmare to continue with it."

The company has urged passengers to lobby Gloucestershire County Council after the authority raised the possibility of providing a replacement service.

A spokesman for the council said: "We are currently looking at the potential to fill the gaps in the service and will be liaising with the parish council when we have established how a viable service could be provided.

"We only starting receiving requests to help out on March 8 so no real progress has been made just yet."

A group of residents, headed by Cllr Wood, have formed a petition which they plan to send to Gloucestershire County Council.

She said: "We've had 47 signatures so far and are expecting more once word spreads. I'm furious about this whole business, it cuts out our villagers - something we plan to let the county council know."

For further information on the petition contact Cllr Wood on 01453 860236.