LYDNEY Labour Party branch has raised questions over the weekday bus service between the town centre and the station – in line for major developments – which it says falls short of promises.

"When the town council was given the proposals for the 721 service it seemed very good, with regular buses throughout the day. They even told which trains the buses connected with," said Bert Stapleton, secretary of Lydney Labour branch.

"But now that the timetables have come out we find that there are only buses early in the morning and late in the evening. This rules out travel for many of the elderly who don't have a car and want to make trips in the day.

"It makes a mockery of plans by the district council, the county council and Railtrack to upgrade Lydney Station – a mile from the town – and even introduce a special bus bay there."

Mr Stapleton said he was prepared to say the original proposals offered more than was actually necessary – what would be sensible would be connections with the train at around 10.30am and something for getting back in the afternoon.

"There are many suggestions I could make to them – some of the buses to Coleford could take it into their route, for example," he said.

"If it was only half of the original proposals that would be enough. As it is the service is only operating first thing in the morning and at 7.50pm and 9.10pm on weekdays, which is no good for many who want to use it."

He also said there was an adequate Saturday service, but his main concern was the weekday problem.

He has written to Forest of Dean MP Diana Organ asking her for help. A spokesperson for Mrs Organ's office said she was concerned about the matter and had written to the county council, which is responsible for subsidised bus routes.

A county council spokesman said they had reviewed bus services including the station route, the changes coming into effect on January 2.

"We found that an average of two passengers a day were travelling on the section between Lydney Bus Station and Lydney Rail Station," said the spokesman.

In the light of this it had been decided not to replace the service.