Elderly will miss the Plus Bus as cash for their ‘lifeline’ service is axed

Published: 18th March, 2011
by TERRY MESSENGER

ELDERLY and disabled users of Islington’s threatened Plus Bus fear they will be prisoners in their homes if the service is axed.

The yellow bus picks up less mobile people who live a long way from main transport routes. A ramp enables easy access for people unable to cope with the steps on conventional buses.

The 812 Plus Bus route stops at Chapel Market, Angel, and the day centre for the elderly at Peel Institute, in Percy Circus, Clerkenwell.

Disabled Linda Grace, 61, of Agdon Street, Clerkenwell, said: “I use Plus Bus for my shopping – it’s the only time I go out. I won’t be able to get out if it goes.”

An 85-year-old who got on after visiting the Peel day centre said: “I don’t want to have to walk all the way up to Pentonville Road from Percy Circus. It’s a rotten great hill.   

“I go to the centre every day at the moment. But I don’t think I’ll be coming too many times in the future.”

The pensioner, who declined to give her name, added: “Without these buses people who go to the Peel Centre won’t be able to get there. They won’t be able to have lunches, nothing.”

The future of the Plus Bus was thrown into doubt when Islington Council withdrew a £140,000 grant.

The borough then failed in a plea to Transport for London to replace the funding.

The Plus Bus service is run by Hackney Community Transport (HCT), a social enterprise which operates routes for less mobile people throughout the UK with grants from public bodies and subsidies from its own commercial activities.

HCT put up £70,000 annually for the Plus Bus along with the axed £140,000 grant.

A council statement said: “The bus service will now be decommissioned, with the final service expected to run in June.”

But on Wednesday a spokesman for HCT insisted: “The company is not able to comment publicly because no decision has been made.”

Ruling Labour councillors cut the grant after the coalition government withdrew £40million from the borough budget. Labour environment chief Councillor Paul Smith said: “Everyone here feels deeply for Plus Bus users but we’re already having to make massive budget savings this year so we can’t fund the service with taxpayers’ money.”

Opposition Lib Dems have called for the axing of services such as free school meals for primary pupils to save the Plus Bus.