Pensioners protest over Telford bus changes

They said that changes that start on Sunday to almost every route in the borough would see the removal of two bus stops in Wombridge Road, Trench, which are the nearest to get them into Oakengates and Telford town centre.

This would take away a lifeline for the most vulnerable who rely on the transport link.

Instead, pensioners including many with health problems would be forced to take on a long uphill walk to the next nearest stop at the top of the road or fork out for taxi fares.

Irene Jodlowski, 76, of Springfield Road, said she was "very angry" and said pensioners were not consulted about any of it.

She said: "We use the bus to get our shopping, get to the doctors and it is a vital lifeline."

Arriva Bus Midlands announced changes to the 55 bus route service as part of the overhaul. At present, it travels along Wombridge Road and covers Oakengates, Trench and Hadley as well as heading into Telford Town Centre.

• Arriva will host exhibitions across the area until Friday to provide more information, which can also be found on the Telford & Wrekin Council website

• Today staff will be at Bridgnorth Library from 10am to noon, and at Tesco in Madeley from 1pm to 3pm

• An exhibition will be staged at Morrisons in Lawley from 10am to noon on Thursday, and then at Oakengates Theatre from 1pm to 3pm

• Shifnal Library hosts an event from 10am to noon on Friday, before it then moves on to Asda at Malinslee between 1pm and 3pm

The new No. 7 service will partially replace the service 55 and run from Wellington, Hadley, Oakengates, Telford Town Centre and Overdale.

Pauline Kilford and her daughter Valerie said they rely on the service to get around.

Pauline said: "I've lived here for 58 years and I need that bus stop to get around. It's really awful because no one spoke to us about this."

Janet Matecka, 82, has disabilities and would not be able to walk to the bus stop at the top of the hill in Wombridge Road.

She said: "I'm going to have to get a taxi to pick up my pension. It's ridiculous. I can't walk all the way up the hill to get the bus. I have disabilities."

Christine Evans often takes her three-year-old grandson Mitch Camp on the bus, and she also spoke of her anger of the changes.

She said: "These bus services have been here for at least 35 years. It's mainly used by pensioners and young women with children."

The change comes following a full council meeting held in the borough last week when members criticised a "lack of consultation" on the biggest changes to bus services in Telford and Wrekin in a decade.

But passengers who turned up to raise the issue at the borough's full council meeting last week were told the authority had no power to intervene.