A REDUCED bus service starts in Dursley this weekend, but official printed timetables detailing the changes are not yet available.

On Sunday, the service from Dursley to Gloucester will be reduced from hourly to two hourly.

At the moment, the 60 and 62 both run from Dursley to Gloucester. 
But from Sunday, the 62 will stop doing so, and will run between Bristol, Berkeley and Dursley only.

Cam and Dursley Transportation Group (CDTG) had been hoping to distribute copies of the new timetable at the town’s annual produce show at the Chantry Centre on Saturday, September 1.

And on Wednesday, a spokesman for Stagecoach West told the Gazette that new timetables would be delivered to the library on Thursday.

However, the timetables have still not arrived.

David Smith of the CDTG said: "Staff at Dursley Library have been chasing Stagecoach, but have been told that it is unlikely that they will receive any timetables this week. 

"The library are supplying photo copies but they are having to charge 10p per copy. Staff say they have given out a couple of hundred copies so far.

"It now looks as if there will be no timetables for the stall at the Flower and Produce Show at the Chantry Centre on Saturday."

The new bus departures times from September 2 are on the display board at Dursley bus station.

Members of the Cam and Dursley Transportation Group (CDTG) have also now set up a petition to demonstrate the strength of feeling about the cuts.

Anyone concerned about the cuts is invited to sign the petition, copies of which are available in shops and cafes in the area.

This follows a meeting, organised by the CDTG, with Stagecoach West’s commercial manager, James O’Neill, Loraine Patrick, Gloucestershire County Councillor, and concerned residents. 

Mr O’Neill told the meeting that the company was making the cuts as it was making a loss of £80,000 loss on services to Dursley. 

Cllr Loraine Patrick, of the GCC, said she would take up the hardship issues raised with the appropriate county council officers.

She said: “I will do whatever I can to find a solution.

“I have suggested to Stagecoach that the services at 7.30am and 8.30am could be combined into an 8am service, which would be better for workers and students.”

MP David Drew said: “I am very concerned about the proposed reduction in service, not least because of the impact it may have on people who need to attend hospital appointments in Gloucester and elsewhere.”

A Dursley Town Council spokesman said: “The Town Council are concerned with any reduction in bus services, which will impact those residents most in need.

"The Town Councillors would request that any proposed changes to the bus service timetables be open to a full and frank public consultation with local people given the opportunity to explain the difficulties faced using public transport in a rural environment”.