Petition launched over Pennington residents' four-hour round bus trip from village to Lymington hospital

A PETITION has been launched calling for a direct transport link between Pennington and Lymington hospital after residents complained about having to endure a four-hour round trip involving four different buses.

Currenly, villagers must catch the number 119 into Lymington, before taking the number 6 to the hospital on Wellworthy Road.

According to Pennington Lid Dem councillor Jack Davies, who has launched the petition with fellow Cllr Colm McCarthy, this trip can take a total of four hours there and back.

“The trouble is that the two buses do not match up,” he told the A&T.

“So if you catch the 119 into town you then have quite a wait for the number 6.

“The whole journey can take four hours in all, which is obviously a struggle for the elderly, disabled and mothers with young children.

“We have had lots of residents raising this issue with us – they are really struggling with it. A lot of elderly people have to go to the hospital regularly for tests.

“Some of them are paying out for taxis instead of facing the long bus journey, but this is crippling them as it is up to £9 each way.”

The councillors have written to Bluestar, which operates both routes, asking if the number 6 bus can be extended to Pennington.

Mr Davies said: “Extending the number 6 is a cost-effective and logical solution to this problem and could be done very quickly.

Cllr McCarthy added: “There are plans to waste taxpayers' money on studies to see if a new train station at Ampress is viable.

“A new station would cost taxpayers millions of pounds. It would be a complete waste of money at a time when council tax is going up.

“Extending the number 6 bus service can be done quickly and at a fraction of the cost; it’s a no brainier.”

Mr Davies says he is hoping to meet a representative from Bluestar soon to discuss the issue.

“I have been told changes to bus routes in the area were discussed previously by the company with Hampshire County Council but they dismissed it on grounds of cost,” he added.

“But the town council subsidise the 119 service and may be open to funding an extended service as well.”

Andrew Wickham, Bluestar and Morebus managing director, said: “We continuously monitor demand for bus services here, and always give serious consideration to feedback from those living within our local communities.

"We look forward to reviewing the petition in due course.”