Bus Cuts On Southern Estate

The Southern Estate in Market Harborough is to be left with no bus service during the majority of the day.

Operator Arriva says a revised timetable means its X3 service will only serve the estate a handful of times daily from later this month.

The firm says it has taken the decision to reflect changing customer demand, with buses only serving the estate at key commuting and shopping times.

An X3 picking up passengers on Stuart Road today

From February 24th, buses on the Market Harborough to Leicester ‘Sapphire’ route will only stop on the estate five times in the mornings – up til 10am and three times later in the day between 4 and 8pm.

For the rest of the day there will be no public transport available to residents.

Currently 26 buses serve Bath Street, Stuart Road, Fairfax Road and Cromwell Crescent a day – this will be reduced to just 8.

There are currently at least two buses an hour daily.

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is seeking an urgent meeting with the bus company over the announcement, telling Hfm:

“Many constituents rely on this service to get around and value it highly. I’ll be making representations to Arriva on this urgently, to ensure all options are fully explored which might enable a continuation of the service and prevent any disruption to local passengers.”

Alistair Timmis, General Manager for Arriva Wigston: “Following a review of passenger numbers and boarding times on local services, we are set to introduce changes to our X3 service from 24^th February. These alterations will see us channelling our resources to better match supply with demand, concentrating on our journeys at peak times of the day when our passengers most need to travel.

“Unfortunately, this will leave a small number of customers unable to catch an Arriva bus at times when they may previously have been able to. We of course recognise that there are areas of the community who will be adversely affected by the withdrawal of journeys between 10am and 4pm, but as a commercial operator we need to ensure that we are able to channel our resources into providing quality, effective transport services where they can best fulfil the highest level of demand.”

“The Local Transport Authority retains the right to facilitate services for areas where it is felt there is a social necessity, but perhaps do not present a commercial opportunity for operators such as Arriva, and we of course remain open and willing to discuss these matters with them to find a mutually agreeable solution.”