Petition calls for reinstatement of 'invaluable' Lanarkshire bus service

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Residents in a Lanarkshire community which has been without a local bus service for the past three years have begun an online petition calling for its return.Campaigners in High Earnock have gathered nearly 500 signatures in the past two weeks, saying that withdrawal of the X1 route in 2020 “means that elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents have no access to local services [and] are effectively prisoners in their own homes”.They are being supported by Monica Lennon, the Central Scotland MSP, who highlighted the issue of “bus deserts” at the Scottish Parliament and has invited the transport minister to visit Hamilton to speak to local residents.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Earnock resident Lorraine Garrow started the online petition for the recent Scottish Bus Week, and following a rally at the Davington Drive bus stop last month which was attended by more than 100 people including members of Earnock Residents’ Association.

It notes that residents are facing £15 round-trip taxi fares to reach GP appointments; isolation as both they, relatives and friends are unable to travel to and from the estate; and even notes: “Several neighbours are selling their family homes and moving closer to the town centre, in part due to the lack of a bus service.”The petition adds: “It’s unacceptable that