Derbyshire council’s highways chief has told how the authority has been unable to find an operator to ‘replicate’ a lost and much-needed vital bus service which now bypasses a rural village and has left residents feeling isolated and stranded for around six months.
The commercially-run number 55 bus used to stop in Morton – three miles from Alfreton, in Derbyshire – before it was rerouted after Hulleys of Baslow ceased trading in late March and Notts & Derby Buses took over the service soon afterwards and removed the village stop.
Since then campaigners who described the number 55 bus service as a ‘vital lifeline’ for Morton have been appealing for help because the only alternative villagers now have is a ‘dial-a-bus’ with bookings on demand which they feel is ‘inadequate’.
Derbyshire County Council’s former Conservative administration and the newly-elected Reform UK-led administration both sought a solution to reinstate and possibly subsidise the Morton route service but the council’s highways chief, Cllr Charlotte Hill, has confirmed the authority has been unable to find an operator to replace the previous scheduled commercial service.
Cllr Hill, Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport, who attended a Morton Parish Council meeting on September 17, said: “We’ve been working extremely hard to find a solution to this issue and I, alongside the local member, met again with the parish council on Wednesday night to speak to local councillors and residents about the issue.
“I understand the frustration since Hulleys sadly closed and at the meeting I talked about the on-demand [dial-a-bus] bus service that runs in the area six days a week which is available to local residents.”
She added: “Despite working very hard with the local councillors, residents and bus companies, we’ve been unable to find an operator to replicate the previous scheduled commercial service.”
Notts & Derby Buses’s decision to reroute the 55 bus service away from Morton originally attracted a petition with hundreds of signatures calling for the village service to be reinstated.
But the bus company argued the service was rerouted away from Morton because only a small number of villagers was using the service despite claims by residents to the contrary and that the bus was a lifeline for everyone including the elderly, disabled and students.
The former Conservative council administration began talks with Notts & Derby Buses to try and come to an agreement to reinstate the 55 service route through Morton and the bus company stated it would consider reinstating the route if the council could fund and subsidise the service.
A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson has stated: “Given the significantly high subsidy level per passenger required to reinstate the 55 to Morton and the upcoming transfer of transport powers from Derbyshire County Council to the East Midlands Combined Authority on March 31, 2026, Derbyshire County Council has decided not to fund the reinstatement of the 55 service.
“We will however engage with EMCCA to ensure moving forward that the current provisions in place to support the community are robust and meet the needs of our residents.”
But residents have continued to feel stranded without the bus service and they say they feel isolated, especially the elderly, disabled people, students and youngsters along with others trying to commute for work.
Some residents have been having to walk across a field with three stiles to catch a bus from Stonebroom but they say they cannot get back the same way so they then have to pay £14 one-way for a taxi from Alfreton.
Others have also revealed that they are having to cancel and go without GP appointments and they have described the situation as worse than during the limitations posed by the Covid lockdown periods.
Villager and pensioner Val Hatton wrote to Cllr Hill calling for her help to reinstate the service.
She said: “We now have to walk across to Stonebroom to catch a bus to do mundane things such as shopping or going to work, school etc.
“I am 75 years-old and quite fit for my age and do not struggle with this at the moment but I dread the winter when this will be decidedly arduous.
“There are many elderly residents who are struggling to cope as it is. We have Morton Grange nursing home in the village and people without transport cannot visit loved ones, also [there is] no way of getting to the church or churchyard easily.
“I know there is a ‘dial-a-bus’ service available but this is totally inadequate for doctor’s appointments etc due to the inaccuracy of set times and length of journey time.”
Morton Parish Council Chairperson John Funnell also wrote to the county council urging the authority to help reinstate the 55 route back into Morton and to consider the significant social, economic and environmental costs of reduced public transport provision.
Cllr Funnell said: “The withdrawal of the number 55 bus has left many residents, including students, elderly individuals, and those without access to private transport, isolated and unable to reach essential services, employment, education, and social activities.”
He added: “The reinstatement of the number 55 bus service would restore vital connections, reduce social isolation, and support the sustainability of our community.”
Pilsley Parish Council described the situation as a ‘crisis’ after the new route bypassed Morton entirely cutting off what it described as a ‘vital lifeline’ for nearby Pilsley residents who have to travel to and work in Morton.
The parish council also pointed out that the bus no longer goes to Chesterfield Royal Hospital and it described the change as a ‘crisis’ for those in Pilsley who work at the hospital or rely on it for treatment.
Bolsover Labour MP Natalie Fleet and Labour NE Derbyshire District Cllr Kevin Gillott support residents’ concerns to get the bus service route reinstated for Morton and the new Labour East Midlands Combined County Authority has stressed the importance of connectivity for rural areas not least after it recently held its first Transport and Digital Connectivity Committee meeting.
Cllr Gillott, who represents Morton and Pilsley, said: “Reform took power in Derbyshire promising to be different, yet the first thing they did was to adopt the policies of the previous Conservative administration, including their decision not to reinstate bus service 55 through Morton.
“Now Reform councillors are trying to justify that decision to deny the village a regular service by blaming everyone and anyone they can, including the people of Morton, telling residents that they don’t need a regular bus service.
“It was only through the tenacity of local residents’ questions at this month’s [Morton] Parish Council meeting that it became clear that the real reason behind the county council’s decision was the simple fact that Reform’s Cabinet Member for Transport didn’t see providing a bus service to Morton as a priority, and so didn’t want to spend any of the grant funding the council gets from Government for bus services on the village.
“That means that if the county council doesn’t change its mind soon, it is highly likely that the village will be without a bus service for least another 18 months.
“If that happens many people in Morton will continue to be left isolated during that time and forced to walk over a mile across fields or along a busy unlit road, that doesn’t even have a pavement, if they want to catch a bus.”
Travel on Demand Derbyshire representatives also attended the Morton Parish Council meeting to explain how its on-demand service – which many refer to as the ‘dial-a-bus’ – works.
The Travel on Demand Derbyshire minibus takes passengers across North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and Bolsover from 7am to 7pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 8am to 5pm, on Saturdays.
Cllr Hill said: “It’s a more flexible service as instead of following a fixed route and schedule it allows passengers to book a journey for the specific time they need to travel which makes it a personalised and more efficient way to use public transport.”
The East Midlands Combined County Authority, which is due to take over responsibility for transport from the county council, held its first Transport and Digital Connectivity Committee meeting in September with plans to begin allocating £2bn of transport funding for the Mayor’s Transport Plan which aims to address challenges faced by rural communities like Morton.
East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward said: “It’s vital for me to understand the concerns of residents across all communities. Rural bus services are essential for connecting elderly residents, people with disabilities, students, and daily commuters to where they need to go.
“The re-routing of this service has caused significant disruption to the lives of people in Morton, and as someone who lives in a rural community, I understand the impact of that. No-one should feel isolated or forced to pay expensive taxi fares, cancel important GP appointments, or simply go without.
“I am preparing to launch a new Mayor’s Transport Plan for the region, and it will take on the challenges faced by people in Morton and other rural communities.
“We will open a public consultation for this plan soon, which I encourage everyone to engage with. This is an opportunity for everyone to have a say on the future of transport in the East Midlands.”
Bolsover MP Natalie Fleet, who has voiced concerns about bus services in Derbyshire, said: “I’m really disappointed that Derbyshire County Council has ruled out support for reinstating the 55 bus through Morton.
“This service was never a luxury. It was a vital lifeline for residents, especially the elderly, disabled people, students, and those commuting for work or appointments.
“Since April, I’ve backed the community’s calls to bring the route back and I’m continuing to press the council, the bus operator, and our regional partners to find a solution. Rural villages like Morton shouldn’t be cut off. They deserve proper, reliable public transport.”
Those interested in using the Travel on Demand Derbyshire minibus service can download an app or register by visiting www.travelderbyshire.co.uk or they can phone 0115 9691801 between 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, or 9am and 1pm on Saturday.
