Pensioners “can’t see friends or go shopping” after being let down by on-demand bus service
DISTRAUGHT pensioners can’t see friends or go shopping, due to the failings of an on-demand bus service.
Georgina Harris, who lives in Welford, and Carol Lane from Bidford used to really look forward to their weekly trips together into Stratford to look around the shops and chat over coffee.
But 82-year-old Georgina, who’s disabled and needs a mobility walker or wheelchair to get around, says the new version of the UBUS dial-a-ride service, now known as IndieGo PLUS and run by the county council, is “a shambles”.
She and Carol are constantly told there’s no room on any of the four buses, even five days or more ahead. If they do manage to bag a place, Georgina finds herself all alone on one bus, while Carol ends up on her own on a different bus – even though they’re going to exactly the same place at exactly the same time.
Georgina, who worked for Stratford District Council for 20 years, said: “We used to be able to ring the call centre on a Monday and book a seat to go to Stratford on Friday morning.
“Now they always tell you there’s ‘no availability’.” She added: “Last Friday, Carol and I booked to go as normal, and the bus went to Bidford to pick up Carol but a different bus came to Welford to pick me up.
“When we complain to the call centre, they say there aren’t enough buses and they need more.”
Carol, 71, who helps Georgina with her trolley, said: “Every Friday the bus used to pick up me and then three ladies from Ickfield Court in Bidford then on to Welford to pick up Gina because it was all on the same route and we never, ever had a problem.
“Now they keep telling us there’s no availability and we never know if we’re going to be on the same bus or not.
“The week before last, a driver came and picked me up and I was the only person on the bus.
“A different bus picked up Gina and she was the only person on her bus, so I can’t fathom why they’re saying there’s no availability. If they weren’t sending out a bus with 12 seats for one person and another empty bus for another person, they wouldn't have a problem with availability.
“We’ve been friends for so long and have been going on the same bus for so long, this is really affecting both of us.”
Georgina, who has heart problems and arthritis, added: “If I go to Tesco, Carol comes with me.
“We meet on the bus and she'll walk around with me with a trolley, because sometimes I ca’'t get things.
“I don’t see the others now.
“I’m lucky I have a good supportive family – my sons and my grandchildren will drive me if I ask but I like going on the bus because it gives me my freedom.
“I’ve complained to the county council and they say they’re working on it, but it’s getting worse, not better.
“We see buses going around with just one passenger all the time and one driver actually told us they had only one passenger all day and sat in a car park for the rest of the time.
“It’s a shambles.”
A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council respond to the Herald’s enquiry said: “We are very sorry to hear that these customers have not been able to book onto the same vehicle.
“ The service’s new system works slightly differently than before. We are monitoring it on a daily basis and are identifying where we can make adjustments.
“While some availability issues have been resolved, we still need to resolve other issues. In the meantime we would ask customers to be patient and consider if they can use public buses as a temporary alternative.”