TAMESIDE Council’s former leader has called on the current administration to look at the plight of ‘stranded pensioners.’
Those living in the Chatsworth Road area are unable to travel by bus to and from Manchester city centre, nor other locations in Tameside.
A stop is served by the 171 and 172 services, which run every hour and do not head to the city centre.
That means a walk of at least half a mile to Edge Lane, where bus and tram services run.
And Cllr Ged Cooney has called on the authority to press the issue with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
He also hit out at the apparent non-attendance of Cllr Stephen Homer, Tameside Council’s executive member responsible for the issue, at Bee Network committee meetings.
And according to GMCA minutes, his deputy Cllr Jacqueline Owen has not been at every one either.
Cllr Cooney said: “I’ve been in correspondence with him (Cllr Homer) regarding attendance at the bus committee. I can’t find him attending and his substitute hasn’t always attended.
“We have an issue at the bottom of Chatsworth and North Road with regards to getting a bus.
“We were hoping with the Bee Network – and I have raised this – they would bring a bus down Lewis Road or some other service there and I want that raised.
“I can’t find that being raised anywhere.
“The leader said it’s important that pensioners, in her words, are not stuck, they have access to services and can get there.
“People have spoken to Andy Burnham and said they can’t do that – there’s no bus service. They have to walk to the top of Edge Lane.
“All I’d ask is can we raise this question because it goes against the point the leader made – that pensioners shouldn’t be stranded.
“These pensioners are constantly stranded. If the Bee Network doesn’t deliver routes people want, then we’ve not done anything.
“I believe it will do that, but you’ve got to put the question in.”
Cllr Cooney’s plea came as councillor for Droylsden West, which covers the Chatsworth Road area.
And Cllr Homer insisted the issue is on the agenda for the GMCA.
He said: “The 217 and 168 have been raised at GMCA level. The leader and I put together a report recently, which we handed over.
“Originally, they weren’t supposed to be looking at routes and timetables until late October.
“However, they’ve brought that decision forward. The 217 and 168 are both on that report. It’s being looked into.”