I can’t believe First Bus are going to be allowed to cut off

an entire area of Bristol

from public amenities. A great deal of elderly people who rely on the 52 bus

service live in the Highridge and Bedminster Down areas, what are they supposed

to do when they need to go shopping for food, to visit the dentist or attend

hospital appointments?

 

When the First Bus representative chose his trip on the 52

he picked a time when there would have been less people travelling, for after

seven o’clock at night most people have headed home and are busy preparing for

their evenings. He wants to try and get on a 52 around lunchtime or

mid-afternoon, when there is frequently standing room only.

 

A key point mentioned in the text was that of the averaged

12 people travelling at any one time on the 52 bus route 5 are concessionary

bus pass holders. Could it be that First Bus have assessed the amount of

elderly living in the area and found the free bus passes make the service unprofitable

and therefore they are shutting the service down to save money? It’s just a

thought! I also understand from digging around in the background of this case

that the 52 bus service had its funding cut by the Lib-Dem council and this

forced First Bus to appraise its cost effectiveness with the predicted result

of the death knell of this popular service. Did the ill thought out actions of

the budget slasher at the council fall foul of the law of unintended

consequences?

 

First Bus wouldn’t cut a bus service north of the river such

as the number 8 or 9 because there would be a huge outcry. Don’t let them get

away with it here!

 

Comments such as ‘it’s not sustainable in its current state’

make me wonder at the bigger picture. What will all those people do when they

need to travel? Even villages have a bus service and this is a large area of a

city which is being shut off. I wonder if either the council or First Bus will

second in a private hire company to run the route which will be outside the remit

of the bus pass holders to get around the problem of financial losses.

 

The demise of the 52 will have a knock on effect on the

trading areas in Bedminster, who will lose a huge amount of custom and revenue as

people living on the 52 route turn to online shopping, relatives and neighbours

for help.

 

I notice there was one mention made of the crematorium, it

is utterly appalling to deny people the chance to pay their respects to family

members by axing the only bus that takes them to the graves of their loved ones.

 

And finally, think of all those bored disaffected teenagers

no longer able to escape, look out Broadbury

Road, the spray cans will soon be rattling on the

down!