Packed public meeting to discuss better bus services for Lymm

RESIDENTS packed into a public meeting at Lymm Village Hall to discuss ways in which public transport bus services could be improved.

This was a follow-up meeting held earlier in the year and was organised by local Liberal Democrat Councillors Graham Gowland and Ian Marks and attended by transport officers from Warrington Council and Transport for Greater Manchester.

Cllr Gowland said: “The Hall was packed and we were very pleased with the questions raised and the suggestions put forward by bus users. The first part of the meeting was to do with connectivity between Lymm and South Warrington and Altrincham and Manchester. An improved service was introduced on 1 September. Changes were made to the hourly service from Warrington to Sale, which is now renumbered as Service 5A and runs from Warrington via Latchford to Sale Metrolink. It replaces the old Service 5 through Partington and provides connections to Bee Network buses and trams. The new Service 5 reintroduces an hourly service via Broomedge and Little Bollington to Altrincham, offering a faster direct service from Warrington, Stockton Heath and Lymm. A new hourly service, the 280, run by the Bee Network, will run between Altrincham and Lymm via Dunham and Warburton.
“Residents raised several issues about these changes. There was concern about the unreliability of some buses which did not inspire confidence with users. Updated timetables were needed and timings should be tweaked because sometimes buses arrived too close to each other or just miss connections. A Sunday service would be welcome to make it easier for families to visit places like Dunham Massey. If the 280 service could be extended to cover the centre of Lymm, this would be very helpful. The officers said more digital displays were planned and that they would go away and see what other improvements could be made.”

Cllr Ian Marks added: “The original bus service through the Statham part of Lymm was withdrawn in 2022 when buses were no longer allowed to go under the Barsbank Aqueduct. After a 600-name petition was submitted to the Council, a revamped 47 service was introduced in 2023. Sadly, it was withdrawn this September along with several other services in Warrington that were not paying their way due to low patronage. Getting to bus stops on the A56 is too dangerous, if not impossible, for disabled and older people because of the narrow pavement under the Barsbank Aqueduct. The lack of transport to Lymm village centre was always a problem with the 47 service.
“I am pleased that the officers from Warrington agree that alternative options are needed for Statham residents and also for places like Weaste Lane in Thelwall. One immediate fix is to revise the times of the Lymm Shopper service and hopefully expand it from three days a week to five. This will provide a figure of eight service around the village, taking in the centre, and will be named the ‘Lymm Loop’. Officers are talking to Warrington Community Transport about using the Dial-a-ride service for journeys. This is a great idea but it is essential we promote this service by getting information about what is on offer to residents. Thirdly, there are successful schemes in other parts of the country based on car pools and car sharing. We can look at these schemes, but we do need people to come forward to help with coordination, so I welcome any offers.”