‘How will I get to hospital when my bus service is withdrawn - it’s ludicrous’

The announcement by First West of England that a number of Bristol bus services are changing or being withdrawn altogether from October 9 has sparked anger with passengers.

One of the services being withdrawn is the number Y3 from Bristol bus station to Yate shopping centre.

Running every two hours during the daytime, it has been a vital service for people living in Hambrook, Winterbourne, Frampton Cotterell and Iron Acton.

Bristol World has been talking to regular bus users about the forthcoming changes to their services. We met Deborah Didcott, who lives in Frampton Cotterell.

She relies on the Y3 for regular appointments at the Bristol Eye Hospital and is at a loss as to what she will do when the service is scrapped next month.

What the passengers say: Deborah Didcott from Frampton Cotterell

I didn’t even know about the bus changes, I was told by a friend that they’re stopping the Y3, Y4 and Y5.

This means we won’t have any buses from Frampton Cotterell, Iron Acton, Winterbourne and Hambrook to get into Bristol.

As well as the Y3, I also use the Y6 from Frampton Cotterell to get to Cribbs Causeway but they are now changing that, too, and isn’t going to Cribbs Causeway anymore.

It’s going straight to Southmead so if you want to go to Cribbs Causeway from Frampton Cotterell or Winterbourne, you’ve got to catch the Y6, get off at Bristol Parkway and find a bus that’ll take you to Cribbs Causeway.

They still say the cuts to services are because of a lack of drivers but that’s a very poor excuse.

I have serious problems with my eyes and I have to have regular injections - how am I going to get to the Eye Hospital now?

I have to catch the bus from Frampton Cotterell into the bus depot and walk the short distance to the Eye Hospital.

From what I understand, the buses are subsidised and council won’t up the subsidy to cover these buses.

The council needs to get its act together because they can’t leave people cut off. I don’t know what I’m going to do.

I’m not allowed to drive because of my eyes, I’m not allowed to use a computer or smartphone because of my eyes and I’ve got to go to the Eye Hospital to have the injections because it’s the only place that can do it - it’s a highly specialised procedure.

What about the people who have to go to the BRI, the dental hospital, the maternity hospital and the Children’s Hospital, what are they going to do?

People living my side of town won’t have access to a bus to these hospitals now. It’s ludicrous.