CHANGES to a bus service in Penketh have sparked concerns over elderly residents being isolated.

During last Wednesday’s Penketh Parish Council meeting, fears were expressed over changes to Warrington’s Own Buses (WOB) 32 service.

Cllr Linda Dirir, a parish and borough councillor, said people feel ‘disenfranchised’ by the ‘loss’ of it and told residents there has been a ‘business decision about money’.

But she confirmed the ‘wheels are in motion’ to make improvements before highlighting the prospect of a parish council-funded £12,000 subsidy for the service.

The parish council will be speaking to WOB and other operators to see what they can offer, with a tender process also to be carried out in the future.

Cllr Dirir added: “I think the best way forward is to say what solution can we get. Could you consider bringing the 32 back to what it was?”

Residents also raised serious concerns during the meeting.

One said he finds the move ‘farcical’ and feels as though part of Penketh has been ‘ignored’.

Another highlighted worries over the impact on the ageing population, including fears over residents being isolated, with another saying widows in the area are struggling with the changes.

But WOB has responded to the concerns.

A spokesman says the 32 bus service ‘has not been cancelled and has now been extended’ to Widnes with regular buses.

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He added: “The route has been taken off Meeting Lane to allow a faster end-to-end journey from Widnes to Warrington.

“Bus fares have also been reduced, with a new weekly ticket.

“Meeting Lane is now covered by the 14 and 15 bus, which allows travel between Sankey and Penketh.

“Additionally, as a result of requests from residents, a new service is being trialled to give direct access from Warrington West to Westbrook and Gemini, with no need to go into town first.

“We will shortly be meeting with Cllr Dirir to assess what additional services could be potentially funded by the parish council.”

Commenting this week, Cllr Dirir said people who haven’t got the ability to walk to Warrington Road, where the service makes a stop at, are ‘cut off’ from it.

She added: “The left hand side (of Warrington Road) is very dense with lots of older people and about five years ago the number 31 was pulled and that caused uproar.

“People are still very upset about it. We lived with that but now we have lost the 32 on the right hand side.

“What we want from the £12,000 pledged is to essentially get something for both sides, not just something to replace the 32.

“We would like to get some kind of service going into the estates on the left and right and going to Honiton Way and, possibly, to town.”