Environment Audit CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Patsy Ormrod, Wyre Council
I am writing in connection with the above, to give you a small insight to some of the problems we are experiencing here in Wyre. As you will know Wyre Borough has one of the oldest populations in Lancashire (44.5%, with 49% aged 50 and over), and as I am Wyre’s designated Lead Member for the Older People, I am increasingly concerned about the problems they are encountering, due to cut-backs in public transport.
Many bus routes taken out of service completely on initial announcement of cut-backs, eg the No 2 to Poulton and No 84 to Bispham, both of which go through Thornton.
No 84 bus service used to be every 20 mins—now only half hourly.
No 84 always went to Blackpool Victoria Hospital—it has now been taken off during the daytime hours.
No 84 service to Bispham from Thornton has been terminated.
No 14 to St. Annes direct from Fleetwood no longer continues to St. Annes but now terminates at Marton, Blackpool.
No 14 going North from Blackpool no longer continues to Freeport Shopping Centre in Fleetwood.
With regard to the No 84 service no longer going to the hospital, this is the one causing so much stress for many elderly residents, as they are the ones who most frequently need to go there, either for appointments or to visit friends and relatives. It is also an inconvenience to other age groups dependant on this service as well, especially for parents with children who are struggling to get there, as now the only way from Thornton, without a car, is to catch a bus to Poulton-le-Fylde and wait for a connection for another bus to get to the hospital.
To add insult to injury the No 84 does now run a service to the hospital, BUT ONLY IN THE EVENING FROM 7PM. To expect the elderly to travel on a bus to hospital at that time of night, especially on dark winter nights is unbelievable.
I mentioned above that this service used to run every 20 mins, but since it abandoned continuing on to the hospital, it now only runs every half hour, which makes no sense at all, as it is now a considerably shorter distance to travel without the extra journey time to the hospital, so in effect could run more frequently.
Keeping with the No 84, which used to travel to Bispham, the way to get there now is to first catch a bus to Cleveleys and then catch another bus heading to Bispham. This again is an inconvenience, and time consuming for people going to work etc, but not an option for many elderly, as it is just too much of an effort or a strain on them to be able to manage to do this.
The No 14 discontinued service from Fleetwood to St. Annes was a very popular direct route. To attempt it now takes up most of a morning, as most people travel to Blackpool town centre and then wait to catch another bus to continue their journey. There are many buses going from Blackpool, and it is only by trial and error to find the quickest one, as many go up and down so many different roads, and in some cases almost seem to go backwards before finally arriving at their destination. You really do lose the will to live, especially having travelled so long to get there.
Still with the No.14 and the cessation of the service to Freeport. This is a very popular shopping centre for the elderly, which also had a marina and many coffee and food outlets to spend a pleasant visit, as well as the shopping itself. Now that the bus no longer goes there, residents have to alight in Fleetwood Town Centre, walk to a very busy and dangerous dual carriageway which they have to cross over, and then to walk from one end to the other of a large car park before coming to the entrance of Freeport. Needless to say, this is just to much for many elderly people to attempt. It’s not even that Freeport is a lot further to travel once in Fleetwood, not even 5 minutes in time.
Not only are older people having to struggle to make necessary hospital visits, which many will now be unable to do so, but they are unable to enjoy the things that most people take for granted, and that is to simply enjoy getting out of their houses where they are alone, to shop, to visit friends, to visit a local park etc, to generally just to see other people.
Social isolation is on the increase, and without the means of easy access to regular public transport as an “escape” for these residents, one of the side-effects will be for more illnesses to develop, both physical, and mental which in itself can lead to physical illness.
6 September 2012