We Want Our Buses Back!
A Pinkerton Road resident asked for our help to organise a petition about the changed
bus services in South Ham. To get our protest registered quickly, we only delivered the
petition to houses within walking distance of the Stag Hill/Pinkerton Road junction
Jazz 3 is a commercial service and Stagecoach can change the route and frequency as they
choose. They don't even need to consult bus users like ourselves, and they didn't!
Stagecoach management decided to take the Jazz 3 bus through Brackley Way and cut out part
of Pinkerton Road. Probably because Stagecoach thought it would be more profitable.
A year ago the Council installed a new bus shelter with a raised kerb at the junction of Stag
Hill and Pinkerton Road. It's now redundant and our Council Tax money has been wasted.
However the Tory run County Council knew of planned changes late last year but decided
not to consult residents.
What good is a service that starts at 9 a.m. You can't get to work or to College on time. And
missing out over half a mile of Pinkerton Road shows total disregard for bus users.
Stagecoach has already responded to our petition saying that they're not prepared to change back.
But if the Council offers to subsidise the routes,they're prepared to reconsider.
The Borough and County Councils are now investigating what can be done and what they are
prepared to do. We don't expect a quick response from the County Council. It could take a couple of
months whilst they examine the options.
We'll keep the pressure on and try to get the Jazz 3 and Jazz 4 services improved.