Derbyshire County Council considers options after a village’s bus service has been dropped and rerouted

Derbyshire County Council has said it is ‘working really hard to find a solution’ for desperate villagers who feel they have been left stranded after a bus company ceased trading and left them without a vital service.
Residents used to depend on the number 55 bus running through their village of Morton – three miles from Alfreton – before the service was altered when Hulleys of Baslow ceased trading and after the service was taken over by Notts & Derby Buses the stop was taken off the route amidst cost concerns.
The Conservative-led county council which funds the new service originally said the decision was down to a very small number of passengers using the Morton service but the council has since stated it has been ‘working really hard to find a solution’ after residents have told how isolated they have felt since the changes.
Resident Becky Spackman, who is very concerned for her fellow-villagers, said: “There were no plans for the service to be reduced or removed, however after Hulleys of Baslow ceased trading a new route was announced leaving the village completely isolated.
“We have pensioners, some who are in their 90s, unable to get to the GP, [get] out shopping or to see friends and family. Disabled and partially-sighted people are in the same position.
“A gentleman with type one diabetes has been seeing the GP three times a week for dressing changes using the bus. There is a family who rely on the bus service to get to both school and college.
“The sense of isolation from their friends and the loss of communal time together is challenging for everyone who used the bus service.”
Ms Spackman explained that residents who are worst affected include pensioners, the disabled and partially-sighted who have been struggling to shop and meet family and friends.
She added that some residents have been able to walk across a field with three stiles to catch a bus from Stonebroom but they cannot get back the same way so they have to pay £14 one way for a taxi from Alfreton.
Neighbours have also revealed they are cancelling and going without GP and hospital appointments, according to Ms Spackman, because they have lost their independence and they have described the situation as being worse than during the Covid pandemic lockdowns.
Labour County Cllr Kevin Gillott, who oversees the Clay Cross South Division as a county councillor but also oversees Pilsley and Morton as a NE Derbyshire District Councillor, raised concerns at a recent county council meeting.
He told the meeting he had welcomed the news that other bus services had been saved after the council has secured operators for key services but he stressed that some people have been left without a service, left struggling to get to work and some students have not been able to get to college.
County Council Leader, Cllr Barry Lewis, said: “I whole-heartedly agree and I am very keen to find a solution. Cllr Cupit [Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport] and her team are working really hard to find a solution and we will continue to try and find a solution.”
Campaigning villagers who have met with Cllr Gillott are appealing for help and action because the only service they have at the moment is a Dial-a-Bus with bookings on demand which is far from ideal.
Bolsover Labour MP Natalie Fleet has also raised concerns about Bolsover residents living in what she described as ‘transport-related social exclusion’ and she has raised concerns for the people of Morton and urged the county council to take responsibility.
The council has stated that it understands the situation is causing upset and it is looking at options for any possible changes to the route.
A council spokesperson said: “Following the sad closure of Hulleys, the county council has worked hard to replace the services they previously provided to the council, but also to support solutions for the services Hulleys had operated on a commercial basis.
“The 55 service was a commercially run service, and we are pleased that Notts & Derby have taken the service over.
“The operator has made some changes to the service times and stops, which does mean Morton isn’t currently being served.
“One of the reasons why Notts & Derby decided not to serve Morton was the very small number of passengers who actually used the service from there.
“We understand this is causing upset for the community and are looking at the options for any changes to the route as it becomes established.
“However, there is also the Derbyshire On Demand ‘dial a bus’ service which covers all of Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover, and will pick up and drop off residents from anywhere in these areas. So we would encourage Morton residents to give this a try.”
Bus operator Notts & Derby Buses stated it has been discussing the situation with the council and it understands people’s disappointment and if the authority allocates funding for a Morton service it would explore this possibility.