Fury continues over 'unreliable' and rerouted bus service

Steve Morphew, Catton Grove's county councillor, said the 21 service was diverted to avoid the Fiddlewood Road during the pandemic - a change made permanent in 2021 which at the time he branded "sneaky and selfish".

Further calls were made to reinstate the route to its former glory by vulnerable people living in Meadowsweet sheltered housing as the amendment left them feeling isolated.

Residents of the Meadowsweet sheltered housing in Norwich, along with county councillor Steve Morphew and city councillor Paul Kendrick for Catton Grove Ward, who have been affected by a First cus route change. Picture: Danielle Booden (Image: Archant 2021)

Provider First Bus said this was due to declining passenger numbers and staff shortages but was also in part a response to the pandemic.

But now the early morning 21 service has reignited people's anger as it is often cancelled, passengers saying with no notice.

"They just don't turn up, it's a nightmare," Cllr Morphew said.

Steve Morphew, Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

He added: "People use the bus to get over to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital - it takes forever as it is - if it doesn't turn up, staff are late for their shifts.

"Then they're stuffed or they have to get a taxi - which is expensive and they're hard to come by anyway."

A First Bus spokesman said: "Our service 21 continued to operate throughout the Covid pandemic to ensure people continued to have access to the city centre and other amenities on route.

"We continue to monitor all journeys measuring demand and reliability at all times of the day on all our services to help make bus travel an attractive proposition for getting around the city a county."

Cllr Morphew added: "First Bus had plenty of time to do something about their staffing shortages.

"There's no reason now that services shouldn't be going through Fiddlewood and running as timetabled.

The notice in Fiddlewood Road where the buses will no longer run. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant 2021)

"If we can't rely on the buses we'll have to find other ways of getting places.

"We've spent an absolute fortune in this city one way or another on trying to improve buses getting around.

"What we should be doing is encouraging people by having reliable services to get a bus.

"For many people buses are a lifeline."