Community leaders are calling on Nantwich residents to back plans to reintroduce a direct bus service between the town and Leighton Hospital.
Cheshire East proposals include restructuring the existing 70, 72 and 73 bus services between Nantwich, Wrenbury and Audlem, and cutting sections to make possible a new direct link to Leighton Hospital.
Nantwich Town Councillor Riddell Graham said a direct link to Leighton Hospital was something the town really needed.
Now he and other community leaders are urging residents to take part in the current consultation on proposed bus changes.
He said: “If you don’t have a car, getting to hospital can be a real challenge, especially for older and infirm people.
“We have been working with council officers to get an answer to this problem and now we have a solution.
“We really need to people to support the proposal. I would urge everyone to respond to the council’s consultation.
“If you aren’t on the internet go into the library and ask one of the team to help you.”
Cheshire East Labour Councillor Anna Burton has already lobbied to get the link in place.
She added: “After over a decade of massive reductions in Government funding to local communities, councils are having to be ever more hard-headed.
“Many councils have cut support for bus services completely. That’s something we won’t do.
“But bus services are a lifeline, connecting the most vulnerable in our community to hospitals, doctors and vital public services.
“It’s getting harder and harder to keep the show on the road.
“Labour councillors are determined to fight for those most in need. But now we need your support. The consultation is open until 3rd July.”
There is also a proposal to merge Cheshire East Council’s “on-demand” Go-Too and Flexi Link bus services.
This would create a single, flexible bookable service available to everyone.
For details of the proposed changes, route maps and the opportunity to comment, go to https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/BusServiceReview2024/
A bus service from Nantwich to Leighton Hospital is urgently needed. It is either extremely expensive, using taxis, or very inconvenient to get to appointments, if you are unable to drive.
Having to attend the hospital would find this bus service very helpful from Nantwich bus station . We live out at Alpraham but now we have a regular bus service which is great . This would be ideal .
Surely Cheshire East can add in any operating contract with bus companies a degree of community service which includes a direct and frequent bus service from Nantwich centre to Leighton Hospital . CE has a duty of care to it’s residents and any bus operator surely has a duty of care to its customers