Sheffield commuters speak on “chaotic” bus cuts following fresh appeal from MP
Sheffield commuters have spoken on how they’ve been faring with the new bus timetables after a fresh appeal to save routes from MP Clive Betts.
Bus cuts in the Steel City have now entered their third week and form wider plans to drop up to a third of bus services across the region.
One commuter said: “The 52a service to Loxley now only terminates at Hillsborough, meaning I can’t get home from work.
“Also, the old timetables are still on display, making journeys chaotic. I urge people to sign the petition to save the service.”
The petition, created by NHS worker Nicola Feetham, has now reached almost 2,000 signatures, with one Facebook commenter also highlighting the fact that the old 52a timetables are still on display at bus stops.
Some people have been less affected than others. A couple on West Street said: “We haven’t been affected. The new Sheffield Connect bus has been surprisingly reliable, and there’s usually one every 10 minutes for us.”
Last week, Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, urged ministers to save the “essential” 8, 27 and 655 bus routes in his constituency during a House of Commons debate.
Clive Betts MP urged the Government to stop cuts
He said: “Will the [transport] minister reflect on the fact the previous prime minister told us you wouldn’t need a timetable – the service will be so good people will be able to walk to the bus stop and get on a bus. You don’t need a timetable for many of these bus routes now because there aren’t any buses running on them.”
Following the debate he labelled the government as “ignorant” and added: “These cuts to buses in my constituency are happening right now, preventing my constituents from commuting to work, getting to school or travelling to attend hospital appointments.”
The cuts have sparked anger amongst MPs and communities alike, with protests having taken place in the past month against the changes made to Sheffield’s bus services.
The full list of changes can be viewed here: https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-gb/newsupdates/service-changes
