MORE than 20 bus passengers gathered at Cinderford bus station voice their anger at the loss of services.

Changes imposed by operator Stagecoach West which meant the withdrawal of some services and the re-routing of another came into effect on Monday (November 21).

The protest last Friday (November 18) was organised by Mr Adrian Peacy of Ruspidge.

More than 20 residents gathered to complain to Stagecoach drivers about the loss of the 710 Kensley Vale circular service and the re-routing of the 24 Cinderford to Chepstow ia Lyadney to terminate in Coleford.

Mr Peacy said the change to the 24 – which will no longer run through Blakeney, Ruspidge and Soudley – would hit people in those villages who rely on public transport – hard.

He said they would have no option but to rely on the new Robin minibus service being operated in the Fprest by Gloucestershire County Council.

Mr Peacy said: “I rely on the bus 24 which goes from Lydney to Cinderford but that is being taken off and we will not have a bus service operated by Stagecoach coming up through Blakeney, Soudley and Ruspidge.

“There is the Robin if you book in advance but I don’t think you are guaranteed a seat and that seems to be a lot more complicated especially for the older generation.

“Bus passengers are being left in the lurch and I think the (Forest) councils should get together with bus passengers and really put the squeeze on Gloucestershire County Council

“its not just about those who use the bus now its about those who want to use the bus further down the line

“With the cost of living going up perhaps more people will be inclined to take the bus but at the moment they won’t have one to go on.”

Mr Peacy said he would be attending the next meeting of Ruspidge and Soudley Parish Council on Tuesday, December 13 and he hopes others who are also concerned about the cut to services would also go along to voice their opinion.

Mr Peacy said his nearest bus stop was about a mile away and a journey from Ruspidge to Lydney could take as much as two hours.

“I don’t drive and there are many in the area who rely on the bus completely.

“It’s going to be more difficult to get to see a doctor because the surgery is in Cinderford and you’ve got the new hospital being built at the bottom end of Cinderford

“It’s not going to be easy to get to that

The protest was supported by county councillor Graham Morgan (Lab, Cinderford) who joined passengers at the bus station on Friday.

He said: The routes takes in people that need to get from the top part of Cinderford to the Cinderford Medical Centre on Valley Road. “What will happen when the new Forest Hospital is built, people without cars will not be able access this new facility.

“Residents feel that the Buckshaft route out of Cinderford by Stagecoach that will be retained should be extended to take in Soudley and also Ruspidge and Valley Cinderford.”

Cllr Morgan said he would take up the concerns of bus users with County Council lor Philip Robinson (Con, Mitcheldean) who holds the public transport brief at Gloucestershire County Council.

Some of the routes that Stagecoach announced would be axed have been reprieved after being taken over by other operators.

They include the Lydney to Chepstow section of service 24 which is now operated by Newport Bus.

For full details of the changes see page five of this week’s Forester.