Opinion: 141 bus news is a victory for people power and petitions

News Stagecoach wants to continue running the 141 bus is excellent news for residents who rely on it in places like Stanton Hill, Carsic, Skegby, Hucknall, the Healdwood Estate, Hucknall, Blidworth and Rainworth.

Last year, when Stagecoach announced it was axing the critical service, residents were up in arms. Your Independent councillors did not rest on their laurels however.

Councillors like Coun Jason Zadrozny, Coun Tina Thompson and I held a meeting where we asked what we could do to help residents and their concerns.

We immediately called for a meeting with Trentbarton bosses who confirmed they didn’t think the route was financially viable.

We always thought it was and immediately launched an online petition.

Some warned us it would be a waste of time. We thought otherwise.

Some 3,653 residents up and down the popular route agreed with us and signed up.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield Council leader, then approached Stagecoach, with evidence of the popularity of the service.

To residents’ relief, especially in places like Stanton Hill, the Healdswood Estate, Carsic, Stagecoach agreed to take over the service for a year.

This was a victory for people power. Our petition had worked. It demonstrated people power wins the day.

Now that year is coming to an end - we've kept up the pressure and are delighted Stagecoach has confirmed to us it wants to continue running the 141.

Now Stagecoach has confirmed it wants to continue running the 141 bus service, the ball is very much in the court of Nottinghamshire Council.

We have written to bosses asking them not just to confirm the bus subsidy is in place for next year, but to give it longer-term sustainability and flexibility by extending it to Teversal.

We are confident that in the next few weeks, the subsidy will be in place.

Residents need buses and after the campaign we ran, supported by the community, we can look forward to Stagecoach continuing to operate a service that benefits so many.

Coun Helen-Ann Smith is Ashfield Council deputy leader, executive member for community safety and crime reduction and member for Stanton Hill & Teversal, and Nottinghamshire Council member for Sutton North.