New Year, new bus service?

A new bus service for Spalding connecting the town centre and the Johnson Hospital is “on the table for January”, a new town centre steering group has heard.

The group of local community representatives and businesses held what has been hailed as a successful meeting recently.

It follows on from a meeting of a number of parties interested in improving the town earlier this year.

A new bus service has long been campaigned for by Coun Angela Newton who told The Voice in March that a new route that stopped in the Sheep Market could be on the cards.

The COVID-19 outbreak has delayed that but a representative of Brylaine is a member of the steering group and spoke about a potential new service.
South Holland District Council’s place manager, Emily Spicer, told the Spalding town forum that people would be “pleasantly surprised” over a future announcement on bus routes while adding it still had to be ratified.

“We heard some extremely positive news about the changing bus routes which are going to be on the table for January,” she said. “Our local company, Brylaine, were talking about providing a number of new services link the town to Springfields and new housing estates.

“There’s lots to look forward to on bus routes.”

The newly appointed town centre improvement coordinator Beth Stinson spoke to the Spalding Town Form about her role overseeing the projects to improve Spalding town centre as well as Holbeach’s.

She said of the steering group: “I feel the meeting was really successful and positive. Some of the themes identified to the group included creating a safe, clean, welcoming, attractive place through new street planters, updated information board and signage

“Ideas included liaising with landlords to utilise unused shops and spaces, more bus routes, improving walking and cycling routes especially round our river and supporting advertisement and creativity for businesses and market traders.

“We’re looking at creating a programme of events in a COVID safe way to celebrate our heritage and incorporating music arts and culture.

“These are only some of the ideas identified and as a group we need to pinpoint the best ones and develop a plan of action.”