Fears bus timetable changes will leave passengers stranded

David Brown has been contacted by 80 residents so far after Yellow Buses announced the rerouting of service 4d and the withdrawal of number 27.

“It’s quite horrendous,” Cllr Brown said.

“They’ve been running these buses for a few years and built up quite an amount of patronage and now they are saying they are not sustainable.

“I have listened to all of the concerns which have been raised and it is clear that there are commonalities among the concerns as well as some very concerning impacts on some people’s ability to access school, college, hospital and their workplaces after these services are withdrawn.”

Cllr Brown said some staff at Poole Hospital will not be able to get to their shifts and patients at Poole and Bournemouth hospital have told them they will struggle to make their appointments.

He said children travelling to Allenbourn Middle School and the QE school in Wimborne from Merley and Bearwood need the 4d.

Students who travel to Bournemouth and Poole College have also contacted him.

The changes will take effect from November 3.

Jenni Wilkinson, Head of Marketing, Yellow Buses, said rerouting the 4d is welcomed in the Leigh Road area of Wimborne.

“These decisions are never taken lightly,” she said.

“As we stressed in 2011, when the service began, we needed people to vote with their feet and use the route in order for it to be sustainable in the long-term.

She said journeys to Allenbourn Middle School are a tendered route through the local authority and have now been retendered.

Bearwood will be served by buses 4a and 6.

PUBLIC meetings are being held by MP Annette Brooke today.

The first is from 1pm to 3pm at the Lantern Lounge in Chichester Walk, Merley.

The second is from 3.30pm to 5.30pm at Bearwood Community Centre in King John Avenue, Bearwood.

Meeting times have been set to fit in with bus timetables and organisers are planning to arrive by bus.

Representatives from different bus companies have been invited.