Labour councillors fear axed buses could mean missed NHS appointments for hundreds in Northampton

Labour councillors fear delays and cancellations on Northampton buses could lead to hundreds missing vital NHS appointments and spark a return to gas-guzzling cars.

Operator Stagecoach is under fresh fire over axing services at short notice due to “staff shortages” despite redeploying some of its drivers to work at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

One resident reported waiting nearly a hour for a bus at Weston Favell on Monday (August 8) as more than 100 services were cancelled in and around the town.

Labour’s transport spokesman on West Northamptonshire Council, Councillor Keith Holland-Delamere, said: “As a bus user, I share the frustrations of our residents that buses are not turning up when they are scheduled to.

“It makes planning to get to appointments very difficult.

“With the frequency of many services reduced since December last year, waiting times between buses add further delays.

“At a time when we need to see a more environmentally-friendly transport network, it puts people off public transport and affects our residents' livelihoods.”

Tory-run West Northamptonshire Council has a Bus Strategy, inherited from the old county council, which includes a pledge to “increase the proportion of people that travel by bus rather than private car, reducing vehicle emissions that are harmful to the environment.”

Stagecoach buses have been hit by daily cancellations since last year, initially blamed on the Covid pandemic and a national shortage of HGV drivers.

But the situation got worse in the last month as drivers from all over the country were sent to Birmingham to transport competitors and spectators — coinciding with the start of holiday season.

One comment on the Chronicle & Echo Facebook page pointed out: “There was a time when buses were run for the benefit of the public. Not to make money for Stagecoach.”

A spokesman for the bus firm said this week that a combination of drivers returning from Birmingham and new recruits finishing training will help, adding: ”We have seen a strong uptake for roles with Stagecoach although it takes an average of 10 weeks for a professional bus driver to be fully trained.

“We have new drivers graduating our driving school all the time with some more later in the week which will help alleviate some of the pressure currently being experienced.”