Bus Route Change Sparks Frustration | Leicester News

0:00It's September 4th. You're listening to Lester News today. AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with the story. So, a bus route in Loughborough got rerouted and folks are heated. Apparently, students parking their cars on Blackbrook Road and Garndon Road made it impossible for the buses to get through. Arriva, the bus company, decided to change the 127 route, pulling it away from those streets. Now, residents, especially the older ones, are feeling the pinch because their usual bus stops are gone. The thing is, these residents say they're being punished for a parking issue that isn't their fault. They've relied on that bus for years, and now they have to walk further to catch it. Some are saying it's unfair that the students parking habits led to the bus service being cut back for them, and they feel like the students are. Being favored. This situation has sparked some real frustration. People who don't drive and have health issues are particularly affected. They're talking about having to walk through bad weather to get to the new stops, which is an ideal.

1:01There's even a petition going around to get the county council involved and find a solution. Local officials are stepping in with a war counselor writing to the university about the parking problem. The university, however, says parking enforcement on public roads is up to the council. Arriva mentioned they consulted with the county council on the changes, which they say improve links for students while avoiding the parking issues. The county council acknowledges that changes can be disappointing and stated that Arriva couldn't reliably serve those roads anymore due to the park. Cars. They're saying they'll keep working with the bus operator to find solutions and encourage anyone affected to reach out.