An investigation is under way into the planned axing of a key bus service in a South Staffordshire village, which is among the 10 most deprived nationally for public facilities.
The No 3 Green Bus from Wheaton Aston to Telford and Wolverhampton is set to be scrapped on July 25, but Stafford MP David Kidney insisted he would battle to reinstate it. “It seems perfectly reasonable to me for the people of this village to expect bus services to Wolverhampton,” he said. “I will find out more about the loss and see if a replacement can be established.”
Marjorie Hirst has lived in the village for 35 years and uses the doomed bus daily to travel to work at a solicitors in Wolverhampton.
She said: “I find it preposterous that this can be allowed to happen.”
Olga Ketley, who has been using the service since being widowed 16 years ago, added: “We have around 400 pensioners with homes in the village – how are they going to get to New Cross and other health facilities in Wolverhampton? We have already lost services to Walsall and Cannock and must do all we can to fight this proposed closure.”
Jeff Ford, a 54-year-old financial advisor who has lived in Wheaton Aston for seven years said: “The Government are telling us to go out and use public transport but how can we when buses are being withdrawn?”
Parish council vice chairman Harry Stiles said: “Everyone is very concerned. This is another backward step for the village. A rural community such as ours needs good public transport.”
Green Bus Company manager Graham Martin confirmed: “The bus between Wheaton Aston, Telford and Wolverhampton will cease on July 25. It has been going for years but become completely uneconomic. There are just not enough passengers using it.” The service between Brewood and Wolverhampton is not affected.”
A recent Oxford University study ranked Wheaton Aston seventh among the most deprived areas across the country in terms of villagers’ ease of access to important local services and facilities.
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