Direct bus link to hospital axed
Rising fuel costs and council cuts have been blamed for a reduction in the bus service between Newark and Lincoln.
The Stagecoach X3 service, which provided the only direct link between Newark and Lincoln County Hospital, will run for the last time on Saturday.
Mr Dave Skepper, the commercial director at Stagecoach East Midlands, said the number of people using the service did not cover running costs.
He said the firm faced rising operating costs, with an annual fuel bill of £13.5m.
The X3 service was introduced in June, shortly before it was decided that the majority of emergency admissions that went to Newark Hospital would go to Lincoln instead.
NHS Nottinghamshire County, which made the decision, had lobbied to keep the service in place.
The secretary of the Save Newark Hospital Campaign, Mr Paul Baggaley, said there should be a free bus between the Newark and Lincoln hospitals, like the one that runs between Bassetlaw Hospital and Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
Bus users will now have to get the 46 or 87 services to Lincoln bus station before catching another bus to the hospital.
Both those services are, however, being reduced after Lincolnshire County Council decided to cut £1m from the budget that supports bus services.
From Monday the Stagecoach 46 service will only run direct between Newark, Witham St Hughs and Lincoln along the A46, missing out villages such as Swinderby, North Scarle and Eagle.
Mrs Maggie Scrivens, of North Hykeham, a regular user of the X3 and 46 services, said businesses in Newark would suffer as a result of the cut in services.
She said many people preferred to come to Newark rather than Lincoln because it was quicker and easier.
Mrs Scrivens said bus users were angry that the services were being stopped or reduced.
Stagecoach East Midlands said it worked hard with the county council to try to minimise the effect of bus service cuts and apologised for the inconvenience.
Bus users can call Traveline on 0871 200 2233 to find out the latest service information.
