Villagers celebrate ride on revived bus route
BBCVillagers in a part of Nottinghamshire have been celebrating the first journey of a bus route that was scrapped when the previous operator ceased trading.
Nottingham Minibuses and Coaches took over the 300, which links villages between Lowdham and Newark, after the collapse of Community Transport for Nottingham (CT4N) in August.
Two journeys will run in each direction between Lowdham, Southwell and Newark on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Residents had mounted a campaign for the route to return.
Riding on the first of the new buses, 78-year-old Daphne Harbidge, from Caythorpe, said the campaign's success was the result of the strong social bonds built up between passengers.
"I say it's like a 'rolling community centre'. If somebody doesn't turn up for a week, unless we've been told they're on holiday or having an operation, we ask questions and we check to see if they're alright."
While the route was suspended, villagers along the Trent Valley had described feeling "cut off", having to pay for taxis or lengthy detours for alternative transport.
Joy Brown, 85, from Bleasby, added: "Without the bus, it's been such a struggle. I felt awful when the service was stopped.
"If you have to walk up the road [to another bus route], you risk being knocked over. I'm glad it's back - I know now that if I need to get out, I can do it."
Roger Jacklin, 78, from Bleasby, also welcomed the revived 300, saying: "It's my only way out really; it's much further to walk if I want to get to the train station. It would be nice to have a Saturday service too."
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