Arriva Merseyside said it understands the inconvenience caused by cancelled bus services
Harry uses the bus to get home from the shops in Stockbridge Village(Image: LDRS)
A whole community was left outraged, confused and frustrated after a vital bus service was withdrawn. Several people told us the cancellation would have a profound impact on their day-to-day lives, including family members making evening visits to hospital, night time workers travelling into town, and older people with mobility issues, prevented from doing their daily shop.
Arriva North West cited ongoing anti-social behaviour as the reason behind it terminating bus services to parts of Stockbridge Village after 6pm. However, the decision caused a huge outcry from people already dissatisfied with ‘unreliable’ and ‘limited’ bus services to the area, with a feeling that innocent people were being punished for the behaviour of a few local rogues.
A row quickly escalated, prompting calls from the likes of Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley, to restore the service. Ms Midgley went as far as writing a direct letter to the managing director of Arriva UK Bus, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the company’s decision.
To find out more about the impact on the local community, we caught a bus from Queens Square station, and spoke to people travelling home to Stockbridge Village. We got on a no.13 bus at 5.35pm, after an eight minute delay, and a no.12 which didn’t show up, and quickly overheard a conversation between three women, all talking about the cancelled bus service.
Aboard the no. 13 bus en route to Stockbridge Village(Image: LDRS)
They got on at the bus stop closest to the Royal Liverpool hospital and said they had been waiting half an hour, including Maura, 67, who has lived in ‘Cantril Farm’ for her whole life.
Maura was going home after finishing work, a job she loves dearly, staying on even after retirement age. However, she said the bus services are making it very hard to keep working due to the delays, and sometimes buses did not show up at all.
She said: “With this new update on the cancelled stop at the shops, I think it’s a disgrace. It’s hard enough as it is, and sometimes I’m not home until gone 7 o’clock.”
Maura’s friend agrees: “It’s quicker to get a flight to Amsterdam than it is getting home from town.”
Maura added: “This cancellation just adds on even more time for everyone, and will make it impossible for lots of different people.”
Maura’s friend is sat behind us, and she is on her way home to pick up a few things before heading back to the hospital to visit a loved one. It’s not unusual for her to visit the shops beforehand to pick up some things, and then catch the bus back to the Royal.
However, she said it will no longer be possible to do that, because of the distance, and her ability to carry the shopping the 200-300 extra metres to the next bus stop.
Bus stop in Stockbridge Village(Image: LDRS)
Maura said: “Arriva have said anti-social behaviour, and ok there is that problem, but why should we be punished? We haven’t done anything wrong, and now we’re losing a service we all use to cap it off.
“What they need to do is get more police to tackle the issues, which are everywhere, and provide some things for people to do, some investment. Cancelling the bus service is just the easy way out and doesn’t solve the problem.”
One and a half hours after catching the no.13 bus route from Queens Square, we alight at Waterpark Drive and start out on the 15 minute walk to the shopping parade in Stockbridge Village.
It is a dark, cold, rainy night and the wind can be heard whistling across the large expanse of land leading up to the shops, and the entrance footpath to the library.
There are not many people about, but a group of young people can be seen gathered by the library area, with one of them driving a mini-motorbike up and down, lifting up the front to perform wheelies, and revving the engine so the night is filled with the sound of a rattling exhaust.
The area has been subject to several reports of anti-social behaviour, including unauthorised motorbike use, things being thrown at buses, and people turning off the power switch at the back of the buses, causing 20 minute delays before the vehicle can restart.
Near Stockbridge Village shopping parade young people can been with a small motorbike(Image: LDRS)
Making his way through the miserable conditions is 88-year-old Harry Wainwright who has braved the weather to come out and do his daily shop. Harry normally walks from his home for a bit of exercise, then gets the bus back onto the nearby estate, but not tonight.
Laden with shopping, and wearing a large coat and hat to cover up from the rain, Harry said he uses the shopping parade’s bus stop every day, adding: “It’s not right to cancel the bus service here, not only for myself, but there’s other older people and families who rely on it to get here, or get home.”
Harry said he’s quite fit for his age and hopes he will manage ok, but he is worried about how long it will be before the service is back, he added: “They couldn’t have picked a worse time for it as well, as we’re right in the dead of winter now.
“There will be many people who can’t come out when it’s like this because they can’t get the bus here, so you don’t know what they’re missing out on in terms of things they need from the shops.”
After completing a tour of the area, and getting a taxi away from the shops, the Liverpool ECHO contacted Arriva for an update on the withdrawn service. A spokesperson told us: “Arriva continues to serve Stockbridge Village on the 12 and 13 bus routes.
“Only the Leach Croft stop at the shopping centre is temporarily affected from 6pm due to ongoing antisocial behaviour at the terminus.
Bus stop in Stockbridge Village(Image: LDRS)
“That dangerous behaviour has created serious safety risks for our customers and colleagues, including incidents where buses have been damaged or delayed. We understand that losing this stop temporarily is frustrating for law-abiding people, but safety must come first.”
Adding: “We’re arranging a meeting with MP Anneliese Midgley to discuss the situation and we look forward to having a constructive dialogue with her. In the meantime, we are still working closely with the Liverpool Combined Authority and Merseyside Police and will explore all options to safely restore the stop in the future.”
The ECHO also contacted Merseyside Police, and asked them about the calls for an increased and visible presence in Stockbridge Village, as well as its plans to tackle ongoing anti-social behaviour.
Local Policing Inspector Dave Hassett said: “We won’t tolerate any kind of anti-social behaviour and fully understand the impact it has on everyone living and working in areas affected, including those using public transport which is a vital service for our communities.
“Our Travelsafe Sergeant has been liaising with Arriva and partner agencies since we were made aware of the proposed change to withdraw the number 12 and 13 bus services after 6pm in Stockbridge Village. ”
In some good news for those who have campaigned for the last week, the ECHO understands the evening bus service will now be restored to the shopping parade at Stockbridge Village tonight (Saturday February 14).
LPI Hassett added: “I would like to reassure everyone that as well as high visibility patrols in hotspots when anti-social behaviour is reported to us, we use a wide range of tactics to prevent incidents from happening and these have been deployed in Stockbridge Village.
Bus stop in Stockbridge Village shopping parade which services the 12 and 13 routes(Image: LDRS)
“In addition, we have contacted schools in the area asking them to remind pupils on acceptable behaviour and are working with them to identify those committing anti-social behaviour in the area.
“Education is key for young people to understand the negative impact their mindless behaviour has on their own community – which only damages their own neighbourhood in which these buses serve, and potentially their own families are affected by the limited public transport being operated.
“While police and partners are working together, the support of parents and guardians is imperative. I urge them to take responsibility by addressing their child’s behaviour if they are one of the culprits causing misery which impacts everyone living and working there.
“I ask parents to know where their child is, what they are up to and who are they with. It is not only to stop them causing unnecessary distress to residents in the area, but also for their own safety and welfare.”
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