Changes to Bedford’s bus network will leave some neighbourhoods with fewer services or none at all, while other routes are extended or improved under a shake-up announced by Stagecoach.
The biggest impact is likely to be felt in parts of Putnoe, Goldington and north Bedford, where local councillors say residents who rely on buses to get to work, the shops and medical appointments will be hit hard by the withdrawal of routes.
Areas facing cuts
Stagecoach says the changes, which come into effect from Sunday, 31 May, are designed to improve reliability, better reflect where people want to travel and increase frequency on busier routes.
But not everyone will benefit.
Service 7 will be withdrawn, and Service 10 will also end, according to Stagecoach, due to what It says are low passenger numbers.
In Putnoe, seven bus stops will lose all services, including stops on Wentworth Drive, Putnoe Street, Bamburgh Drive, Arundel Drive and Church Lane.
There will be some replacement provision. Service 5 will be extended to Woodside Dover Crescent and Mark Rutherford School, while Service 28 will be diverted along Putnoe Lane, Brecon Way and Rowallan Drive before rejoining Kimbolton Road.
However, that service runs only every couple of hours, so there are just six buses a day.
Residents “seriously impacted”
Putnoe’s cllr Michael Headley (Liberal Democrats) said the changes would have a major effect on people without access to a car.
“Axing these bus routes is devastating for local residents,” he said.
“Back in 2024, Putnoe Lane was served by four buses an hour; now these proposals give just six buses a day. And Putnoe Street now loses all its buses.
“It can’t be overstated how these changes will seriously impact people who rely on the bus services and don’t have access to a car. It is devastating.”
Cllr Christine McHugh (Goldington, Liberal Democrats) said: “These massive cuts affect people’s ability to get to work, the shops, the doctor, the dentist. If you have mobility issues, you may be left high and dry as far as the buses are concerned.”
Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat leader Henry Vann (De Parys) said the changes showed “important routes” being lost across the urban area and accused the Conservative-led council of mishandling its role in the local bus network.
“Other places are seeing growth in bus use, but the short-sighted, reactionary approach of the Conservatives here is seeing cuts upon cuts. It is local residents who are suffering from these failings,” he said.
Meanwhile, cllr Lucy Bywater (Green, Castle) said she was “frustrated but not hugely surprised” by the changes, arguing they reflected longer-term issues with bus provision.
“A dwindling service on many routes, with reduced frequency and insufficient punctuality, whether partly due to congestion and roadworks, means that numbers of local people using buses is much lower than it should be,” she said.
“The fare cap, having risen, has certainly not helped either. The Tory executive committing money for four hours of ‘free’ parking has also further undermined bus passenger numbers.
“From the end of May, those who absolutely rely on buses, even if not large in number, will lose a lifeline where their service ends because it is not profitable.
“As we’ve said before, deregulation under Margaret Thatcher has failed passengers over the last 40 years, pushing many people into car dependency at a significant social and environmental cost.”
We have asked Bedford Borough Council and the Conservative Mayor for comment.
What else is changing
Elsewhere in the network, some passengers will see improved services.
A new Service 2W will replace Service 53 and link Bedford with Wootton via Interchange Retail Park and Wixams.
Service 4 will be extended to Elms Farm and Norse Road and will run every 30 minutes, while evening services on routes 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 will run until around 10.30pm on weekdays.
Service 3 will run directly without serving The Hangers or Potters Way, and a new SB12 service will run between Stevenage Bus Station and Hudson Road.
Changes reflect demand
The changes are said to have followed a review of travel patterns, including analysis of phone data, independent research and discussions with local authorities, councillors and drivers.
Very low passenger numbers were also cited as reasons for reductions, including the Wootton/Kempston Hill Grounds loop, where the average was 0.1 passengers per trip, and parts of Putnoe and Goldington, where usage was 1.9 and 2.1 passengers per trip, respectively.
It is understood that Stagecoach has agreed, at no cost to Bedford Borough Council, to divert Service 28 through part of the affected area and has also offered a proposal for a tendered service elsewhere.
Congestion in towns across Bedfordshire is also said to be affecting punctuality, and new timetables have been designed to give services a better chance of running on time.
For some passengers, that will mean later evening buses and more frequent services. For others, especially in the north of Bedford, the change is more stark: fewer buses, longer waits, or no direct service at all.
We have contacted Stagecoach, Bedford Borough Council, the elected mayor of Bedford Borough, and others for comment.
