There were celebrations this morning as a vital bus route was reinstated.
Previously the 84/85 service, which was axed last September, the new Y8 will connect Wotton-under-Edge with towns and villages in South Gloucestershire.
Campaigner Barbara Lawrence told Stroud Times: “It means so much to me and to Wotton that we’re reconnected with Yate, which is the Bristol connection that many people have – especially young people that are going to college for their apprenticeships and vocational training.
“It means our sixth formers at Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School can now get back to Hawkesbury, Horton and Chipping Sodbury without all the disruption we’ve had for the past 12 months. It’s taken a lot of work to get here, it’s taken a lot of emails, but we’ve had a lot of support from councillors, Dr Simon Opher, and most importantly Helen Godwin, Mayor for the West of England.”
Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher joined the celebration, saying: “It’s crucial for Wotton-under-Edge and the people here both for work, getting to school and getting to doctor’s appointments. It was taken away about a year ago and I’m just so delighted it’s been reinstated now. For the people in, as you can see from the turnout, it’s really important to them.”
Funding for the service is only guaranteed until March 2026 when passenger numbers will be reviewed. Dr Opher added: “It’s really important that we use this bus as well because these rural busses sometimes aren’t that well used and if we use it, we will keep it, and the people in Wotton really do rely on it.”
