This represents a real victory for residents but councillors say they should never have been left without an evening bus service for over 2 years.
In May 2023, Nottinghamshire County Council carried out a bus consultation with councillors. They were asked to name their top three priorities for bus services in Hucknall. This was just after Trent Barton had withdrawn the evening bus services.
Hucknall Councillors Dave Shaw, Lee Waters and John Wilmott joined together and submitted the return of evening bus services on the estates of Hucknall as their top priority. This is what they wrote to Council Bosses in 2023:
“The decision by Trent Barton to axe evening and Sunday services on the Hucknall Connect Route has left resident’s angry and isolated. Trent Barton axed the Connect evening and Sunday services on its green route from April 2. This means there are now no Connect evening or Sunday services as there were already no Sunday or evening buses on the Connect blue route.
“The bus serves the Ruffs Estate, Westville, the Welbeck Estate, Broomhill and Hazel Grove areas of Hucknall, and its planned reduction has frustrated residents and left many, especially shift and emergency workers without a bus.
“Nottinghamshire County Council chose to discontinue a £150,000 subsidy to the operator Trent Barton.Trent Barton stated that they would restore the full service if the subsidy is restored. Therefore, it is our priority is to restore the subsidy.”
In June 2024, the Council released its Bus Improvement Plan – contained within that was the promise to bring back the evening service. It is listed in black and white, in a formal council document that this was due to ‘councillor priorities.’
Now, over 2 years since the evening service was axed, Nottinghamshire County Council, just weeks before an election have decided to send evening bus services for the estates of Hucknall to tender. This means that bus operators can bid to run the evening bus service in Hucknall with the help of a £150,000 annual subsidy – exactly what Hucknall’s Ashfield Independent councillors asked for TWO years ago.
Councillor Dave Shaw, an Ashfield Independent councillor has welcomed the decision to reinstate the Hucknall Connect service.
Councillor Shaw said, “After 2 year campaign – residents have won the campaign to deliver an evening Hucknall Connect Service. This is a victory for people power. Councillors Lee Waters, John Wilmott and I have raised this on 47 different occasions since the service was axed and it’s great to have won the campaign alongside residents.
“Let’s be clear, this evening service was axed because the Conservatives at County Hall refused to pay the bus subsidy. For 2 years, residents on the estates of Hucknall have not had an evening bus service. That is pretty appalling and we will now step up the campaign for a Sunday service.”