At the beginning of September, First buses cut completely their hourly 800 park and ride extension which provided a fast service to central Ipswich from Woodbridge and Rendlesham. This not only causes problems for Ipswich bound travel - it is a catastrophe for eg those with spouses in the Rendlesham care home. It is heartbreaking.

At the same time the company made significant changes to the the timetabling and route of their complementary 64 route: the buses no longer stop at the Woodbridge Peterhouse estate, and the last bus leaves Ipswich an hour earlier (at 17.50) meaning anyone leaving work in Ipswich later has to walk to Woodbridge from Tesco or the Park &Ride (45m fast walking at the end of a day).. Early-morning buses are also affected, as is hospital travel. There IS no bus at all between Woodbridge and Martlesham Black Tiles.

First declare this is because these services were under-used. We, the passengers who use them, deny this. The services were both well-used and vital to many people with few or no transport choices. They were, however, under-advertised (the 800 did not even carry the Woodbridge -Rendlesham destinations on the six maps that were posted inside each bus).

The impact of these cuts is immense. Timetable and route changes mean that workers are finding difficulties travelling to and from work. Disabled and elderly people, and young parents with buggies are having to walk up to 25 min to a stop. It is no longer possible for non-drivers to visit patients in Ipswich hospital in the evening. 

We ask that these cuts and changes be immediately reversed!