‘Use it or lose it’- Spalding to Boston bus users told as funding is found

A bus service between Spalding and Boston that had its service cut earlier this year looks set to be given a reprieve.

The reduction in the frequency of Brylaine’s K59 service came into force just before Christmas to the surprise of users.

Residents in villages including Donington, Quadring, Gosberton, Surfleet and Pinchbeck were particularly disappointed by the drop in the number of services that could take them to either Spalding or Boston.

A petition to maintain the service was signed by nearly 1,300 people with many worried about the lack of options to get from some villages to the towns for those that don’t own motor vehicles.

Current operators Brylaine blamed a lack of ridership in off peak times as well as a lack of funding from Lincolnshire County Council.

But the authority has told The Voice that funding will once again be made available for the service – though initially as part of a one-year trial period.

A Lincolnshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have put two contracts out to tender, one for a Saturday service on the K59 route, and another that will boost the frequency of the weekday service from every three hours to every 90 minutes.

“The tender process is almost complete and we expect a full announcement of the timetable in the near future.

“These contracts are being offered initially on a one-year trial basis, and it is very much a case of use it or lose it.”

South Holland District Councillor and Donington Parish Councillor Jane King, said: “Yes it’s brilliant that the county council has come up with the funding, but we don’t know if we’re getting the full service back.

“We need that full service for more than a year.

“Hopefully now people will go back to using the bus as it was and I’ll look to make sure it’s used so we don’t end up back in this situation again in a year’s time.

“The cutting of the service has affected people in all sorts of ways.

“It’s effectively cut off villages at times.

“There are people who haven’t been able to attend the health walks that take place in Donington.

“I know of some who volunteer in charity shops in the towns who are having to drive in which they don’t want to do and what about anybody who wants to go into Spalding or Boston for the restaurants or cinemas?

“We’re supposed to be cutting down on our carbon footprint.”