Use it or lose it! Travellers encouraged to make most of Lincolnshire’s improved bus services

Travellers are being encouraged to make the most of the area’s improved bus services… to ensure they remain in place for years to come.

Lincolnshire County Council has recently rolled out a series of expanded timetables around the county - both within towns and between towns and cities - thanks to an £8.5 million Government boost.

But with no guarantee of long-term funding, it is hoped an increase of users will make the county’s buses self sustainable.

Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum chair George Scott hopes the public will use it, rather than lose it.

“Any improvement on the bus service is great, but what we’ve got to do is to encourage people to actually use them,” he said.

“I think bus use is on the increase but I’d still encourage people to use their bus services.

“A lot of people are pensioners around here and it’s their only mode of transport, and also people going to college.”

The need to make the most of the additional buses was driven home at a recent LCC highway and transport scrutiny meeting.

Highlighting the newly-introduced night service in Lincoln which began in April, Coun Kevin Clarke asked: “Is there a stop date to that or is this an ongoing issue we can look forward to?”

LCC support service manager Helen Reek said funding was in place until 2026, but there was no guarantee of any Government cash after that.

“The theory is that the more sustainable we can make these services with this intervention now, then hopefully there will be that commercial element,” she said.

Campaigners have welcomed the improved services, which include Spalding-Peterborough, Lincoln-Boston and Grimsby-Market Rasen routes, as well as improved IntoTown services in Stamford, Grantham, Boston, Skegness, Sleaford and Gainsborough.

Crowland resident Rodney Sadd, one of the campaigners to have the Spalding to Peterborough service returned to an hourly slot, told LincsOnline he was ‘well pleased’ with the news.

“When we looked at the bus service (from Spalding to Peterborough) years ago we actually got a service put on for people at night, but then they withdrew it, which was unfortunate as people were staring to use it,” Mr Scott added.

“The train service has improved now and people in Spalding seem to rather take the train than the bus, as that takes about an hour and a half.

“But it would be a lifeline for people in places like Crowland, and I’d encourage them to use it.

“And you don’t have to worry about parking when you go to Peterborough, which is expensive these days.”

Mr Scott also suggested that smaller sized buses may also be a way forward in the future.

“I think they could do with smaller buses, as the big buses aren’t full a lot of the time,” he said.

“Smaller buses may be more economical to use.

“I’ve been watching buses go past with two or three people on it. A smaller bus would make more sense.”