Residents in Keresley have gathered a petition after repeatedly being asked to leave a National Express bus nowhere near their stop. Some passengers using the 16 and 16A service claim they’ve been left waiting in the cold weather for hours while they made alternative arrangements.
The service normally makes its way to Keresley Village but has been terminating outside the Old Shepherd public house on Keresley Road during inclement weather. Residents say this disruption has sometimes gone on for days on end.
The residents say they have challenged bus operator National Express on the service disruption. They claim the operator has cited concerns that poorly gritted roads are making the journey unsafe to complete by bus.
Roads on the route are gritted by both Coventry City Council and Warwickshire Council and neither organisation is willing to take responsibility, say residents. Sick of being passed from pillar to post amongst the three organisations they’ve recruited the support of their local councillor, Jaswant Birdi. He’ll present the petition to Coventry City Council at a meeting of Full Council on Tuesday 13th March.
Speaking ahead of the meeting Cllr Birdi said; “Although spring might be finally around the corner, residents are worried about the severe inconvenience they’ve experienced when buses do not run. I have visited many residents in Keresley Village who are keen to see a solution found soon. I’m worried that this could just keep happening beyond this cold snap and into the autumn. That’s why I’m presenting the residents’ petition to the City Council. I’m calling on them to investigate the situation and work closely with partners to identify a solution.”
Amongst the residents affected is Dorothy Hall. She depends on the busses to take her husband to the doctors’ surgery, or to the hospital when he is ill. Without a dependable service this is much more difficult.
Another local resident who uses the bus service regularly is Mr David Lilly. Commenting on the situation he said: “I rely on the buses to go shopping and get down to the Doctor’s surgery. During the cold weather, with no buses, I am home bound.”