Three Fenland buses scheduled to cease running will continue with new operators at the wheel
Three bus services that were set to stop running are to have new operators from next week following intervention by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
The three routes which serve a number of villages across Fenland were under threat after bus operator Stagecoach cancelled its registration to run them and they were to stop running from Sunday (23).
From Monday (24) Stagecoach will no longer be running service 56 which serves Wisbech to Manea/Benwick, 50 which runs between Wisbech and Long Sutton and the 66 Wisbech town circular route.
The issue of the Manea bus, which is a lifeline to many villagers who don’t have access to cars, was discussed by councillors at the monthly parish council meeting.
It was originally hoped that local provider FACT Community Transport might step in to fill the void left by Stagecoach’s decision to withdraw from running bus 56.
However, Councillor Charlie Marks posted to the village Facebook page that a new operator had been found, but it would not be FACT.
He said: “Following last night’s parish council meeting and the update from FACTCommunity Transport director that a new contract has been awarded so Manea will continue to have a bus service.
“FACT will however not be running this new contract but will still continue to support our village (leaflets on how FACT can help with travel are to be found at Cafe 29).
“Since the announcement with very little notice that the bus service could have finished on July 23 a lot of lobbying has taken place on behalf of the village and I am sure like myself the villagers who rely on this service would like to thank all involved.”
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority said Stagecoach made the decision to cease operating the three routes because the low number of users meant they were not viable without subsidies
The Combined Authority is currently in the process of awarding the new contracts and said the routes should not be affected by the changeover.
A spokesperson said: “We are committed to running a comprehensive bus network and these bus routes are an essential part of Fenland’s public transport.
“The three bus services mentioned have been operated commercially by Stagecoach East Midlands for many years but they have decided that due to lower levels of patronage they can no longer be run without subsidy.
“The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has put out these routes to open tender, compliant bids have been received for all three services and we are in the course of awarding those contracts, which will be for the same routes and timetables as now.
“We don’t anticipate any interruption to services arising from the tendering process”
Bus 66 serves Wisbech operating as a circular town route via Walsoken every half hour from the Horse Fair bus station.
Bus 56 travels between Wisbech, Manea and Benwick stopping at important places such as March Railway Station, Doddington Hospital and the Neale-Wade Academy along the route.
While bus 50 takes passengers from Wisbech to Long Sutton via Leverington Parson Drove and Tydd St Giles – so is also a lifeline for those viallages.