Disappointment as proposed new Chesterfield bus route shelved

Stagecoach had launched a public consultation over plans to reroute its service 43, between Chesterfield and Sheffield, via Dronfield, to serve Newbold, among a raft of proposed service alterations.

However, it has now said the change will not happen when the timetable changes come into operation later this month.

Announcing the consultation in October, a Stagecoach spokesman said: “This service will be rerouted to serve Newbold, running via Newbold Road, Littlemoor and St John’s Road, creating new links to Whittington Moor and onwards to Dronfield and Sheffield, without the need to travel via Chesterfield town centre.”

However, following the consultation, Stagecoach said the idea has been dropped.

A spokesman said: “The proposal to reroute service 43 to additionally serve Newbold was not popular, so the route will remain unchanged, staying as now.

“There will still be some changes to the timetable, however.

“On Mondays to Saturdays, buses will run twice per hour during the daytime, with one extra bus per hour running between Sheffield and Dronfield, Civic Centre on Mondays to Fridays.”

John Young, Stagecoach Yorkshire commercial director, said: “Feedback from customers about the proposed service changes has given us valuable insight and has helped us refine some of our plans to better serve our customers.”

However, one passenger has spoken of her disappoint that the changes to service 43 will not be happening.

Retired NHS worker Christine Allsop, aged 67, of Newbold Road, Newbold, said: “I and maybe other Newbold residents would love to know who did not like the proposal – my guess is they did not live in Newbold. I can’t imagine anyone in Newbold didn’t want it.

“I personally was really looking forward to being able to get on a bus in Newbold and go to Sheffield.

“This would save either having to walk down to Sheffield Road, a good 20-minute walk for a fit person, or having to catch a bus into town, walk across town and then catch the Sheffield X17.”