FRUSTRATION and anger has greeted the latest round of changes to the bus services operated by Stagecoach.

The latest changes have hit the residents of Newent particularly hard, as cuts to their services to Gloucester are causing hardship for many commuters and travellers.

For many, the timetable revisions now mean that they have to change buses more frequently to get to their destinations, or additionally face long waits in Gloucester for the return service.

Residents met in Newent library last Saturday to demonstrate the affect that the latest in a long line of timetable changes to the Number 32 bus between Ross-on-Wye and Gloucester, which goes via Newent, is having on local residents.

Bus operators Stagecoach West earlier this month announced that their services would see further changes, with large numbers of journeys between Newent and Gloucester scrapped during the week and at weekends.

Lizzie Roberts, who works as a dog groomer in Lydney, said the latest timetable changes would have a big impact on her working day.

She said: “I already have to catch four buses a day to get to work and back. However these changes mean I will be spending more time travelling to work than I will actually spend at work doing my job.

“The bus I get to Gloucester is due to be scrapped which means I will have to get an earlier one, before waiting over an hour for the bus to Lydney.”

Jacqueline Blundell works different shifts in Gloucester and she will feel the full impact of Stagecoach West’s decision as well.

“I regularly catch the buses that are to be cut out to get to work.

“I will now be left hanging around in Gloucester for a long time after I finish work some days.”

Bus campaigners Rose­anna Marshall and Forest of Dean District Councillor Craig Lawton, (Conservative, Oxenhall and Newent North East), met with local residents to discuss the impact that the changes will have.

Miss Marshall said: “The Forest of Dean has a higher percentage of ten to 17 year olds than the UK average, as well as having more over 65 year olds than the rest of Gloucestershire and the country.

“These changes will have a massive affect on those two groups of people, as well as many other people that are either unable to drive or can not afford to.”

Cllr Lawton added: “This is the second time that Stagecoach West have made a big change to their timetable without considering what it will mean to local people that use the service.

“I would have liked to have seen a consultation take place so that they could consider what residents who use the service need. Have they carried out an impact assessment to find out whether any vulnerable groups will be affected more than other residents?”

It is not only those needing to get to Gloucester that have been affected either.

Newent resident Sally Roberts said: “My son works in Ross-on-Wye and the changes are playing havoc with his working hours.

“At the moment his employer is being flexible and they try to help him work around the buses, but I can’t expect them to go on like this forever.”

She added: “I am going to have to start driving him to work on Saturday as there are no buses that will get him to Ross for his 9am start, while taxis are way too expensive.”

She added: “It’s an absolute nightmare.”

Newent resident Kathy Barlow said: “I have heard they have got rid of some of the Saturday morning services because there is not enough demand.

“But every Saturday morning, when I walk through Newent, there is always a large queue of people waiting for the bus to Gloucester.

“Cutting this service will leave a lot of people without transport.”