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A PENSIONER’S group has slammed recently revised bus services out of claiming passengers are worse off.

Haverhill-based Burton Coaches took over running some subsidised services out of the town to Bury St Edmunds back in July.

But Forum 55 Plus, a pensioners’ group for the St Edmundsbury area, says the revised services do not make the grade.

Forum co-ordinator Pam O’Garvaigh said: The new subsidised services run by Burtons Coaches rarely run to time and frequently do not turn up at all leaving passengers stranded.

“They frequently do not run on the designated route and it seems drivers have not had any training in customer relations or instructions on routes, fares or timetables.”

Mrs O’Garvaigh said that only last Wednesday she was left stranded three-quarters of a mile from her home in Stradishall in the dark with a heavy load of shopping because the driver insisted his route did not run through the village.

Paul Cooper, managing director for Burtons Coaches, admitted there had been problems when the company took over the new routes but said glitches had now been ironed out.”

He said: “there were sine teething problems due to short notice with which we took over the need to recruit and train additional staff but we have now addressed these issues.”

For full timetable details on all bus operators in the area contact Travelline on 08459 583358 or for Burton’s Coaches’ services contact 01440 702257.