A Lifeline community bus service is to restart for elderly shoppers. 

The Parkway Shopping Centre in Coulby Newham has announced it is to bring back the popular community bus service, which had to be paused in 2020, as the country went into lockdown.

The shuttle service, which was launched in July 2017, picked up shoppers in the surrounding areas including outlining villages and proved a lifeline to many older shoppers after the local authority bus services were cut in 2016, leaving residents in the surrounding villages feeling isolated and struggling to get out and shop.

The service, which is funded by the shopping centre, will restart on Monday, July 26 and run every Monday thereafter, picking up at 10.30am from The Bluebell Acklam Road, Jack Simon Way, Maltby Village, Thornton Village, Stainton Village, Hemlington Hall Road and Coulby Farm Way, arriving at the Parkway Centre for 11am.

The shuttle service will then pick up residents from Turnberry Way, Guisborough Road, Connaught Road, The Avenue, Cypress Road and Gunnergate Lane arriving back at The Parkway Centre at 11.30am.

Return journeys will start at 1.15pm, returning to Acklam first, followed by a 1.50 pm pick up from the centre, returning to the Marton areas.

Regular user of the community bus and Stainton resident, Carol McCarthy, 71 has welcomed the news of the buses return.

She said: “We are all really excited to be getting it back. I’ve been using it since the start in 2017 and it’s been really missed. It was almost like a bereavement when it stopped”. 

“There is a big sense of community on the bus. We have all become friends because of it, but since the lockdowns you just don’t really see many people. A lot of us were frightened to travel on normal public transport and feel safer using our bus. It’s a more direct route which is much better when you have heavy shopping”.

Centre manager, Zoe France is excited to welcome both familiar faces and new ones back into the centre.

Mrs France said: “The aim of the bus was always to help our shoppers who struggled to get into the Parkway to do there shopping and get together with their friends”

 “I’ve been in touch with many users who are thrilled to hear its coming back and feel reassured they are returning to our safe and inviting shopping centre which has everything they need for a great day out”.

For more information on the service, contact The Parkway Shopping Centre on 01642 595221.