Community bus service aims to plug gap left by Stagecoach's service cuts across Northampton

A not-for-profit bus service for vulnerable people is helping to plug the gap left by Stagecoach's latest Northampton bus cuts announcement.

Stagecoach announced in September it will be cutting 19 of its services across Northampton and Daventry.

The firm says the raft of alterations to times and routes will come into force on October 30, providing a more “sustainable bus service for the future” and better reflecting changing travel patterns.

Many residents across Northampton have voiced their concerns with losing 'lifeline' bus services, with many affected being elderly or disabled residents who need to get to and from a supermarket.

However, Ability Community Bus Service, founded by Conservative Councillor Nigel Hinch and his wife Lynn back in 2018, shuttles those with mobility and transport problems to and from their nearest towns.

Nigel said: "We recognised bus services were being cut and it was leaving people vulnerable. My wife and I wanted to do something to help and it's just grown and grown and grown.

"What we don't want to happen is people being vulnerable and stuck. Part of the cost of living crisis is transport poverty. We deliver a service which allows people to get to their towns to do their shopping instead of having to spend large amounts of money on taxis.

"We tend to deal with people with mobility issues, the elderly with no other means of transport. That's where we step in as a not-for-profit organisation. We use the strap line, 'more than a bus service'."

Following the Stagecoach cuts announcement, councillor Hinch said Ability, which currently has seven buses, is now trying to reach more and more areas.

He said: "We already serve the Banbury, Bicester areas and across to the Northampton boundary and are now progressively rolling out across the former Daventry District area.

"We're covering large parts of the rural area but we are also servicing parts of the suburban areas of Northampton.

"In the coming weeks we are starting a service in the Deanshanger area, Long Buckby and West Hunsbury."

There have been calls for West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to subsidise the Stagecoach services, but Nigel said this would be “difficult”.

"Should/could the council subsidise these? It's difficult. WNC has not got the funding to spend money on buses," he said.

Nigel added that he is also working with Stagecoach to help “cover the last mile”, which means helping people with limited services in their area reach a bus interchange which is better served.

The Ability service is initially free with a £10 admin fee, or £45 for a year's membership.

For more information, visit Ability on Facebook, on its website or call 01327 604 123.

Chronicle & Echo asked WNC what its plan was following the bus cuts announcement and whether it was able to subsidise any services.

Stuart Timmiss, from WNC, said: "We have requested urgent meetings with Stagecoach and other operators to discuss the full extent of the challenge and what we might be in a position to do as a council in partnership with operators and partners.

"The council has no say in the stopping of services. We are consulted along with other stakeholders, but the final decision is ultimately with the operator."

Click here to read Stagecoach’s reasoning for cutting services.