West Lindsey District Council has agreed to continue to fund the CallConnect bus service for a further two years.

Hundreds of residents across 60 villages in West Lindsey including: Saxilby, Dunholme, Spridlington and Scothern have benefitted from the expanded service since it was introduced in November 2017. Lincolnshire County Council and West Lindsey District Council worked in partnership to expand the on-demand bus service to further areas in the district to tackle transport issues.

Following a special concurrent meeting of the Prosperous Communities and Policy and Resources Committee, it was agreed to continue to fund the service. The council has set aside £90,000 over the next two years to continue to support the service.

Cllr Owen Bierley, Conservative Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee welcomed the news, saying:

“The Council recognises that there are many challenges and issues around transport which impacts many of our rural communities in West Lindsey. I am pleased that we have been able to extend the funding to support this vital service, which is led by Lincolnshire County Council.”

Grant White Enterprising Communities Manager at West Lindsey District Council said the CallConnect service enables hundreds of residents to travel to more locations, hubs and services as well as providing improved connectivity to the wider bus and rail network. He added:

“I am pleased that we are able to continue to fund the service for two years. However, we must remember that during the current pandemic the service is only available for vital journeys as we continue to follow the government’s advice on social distancing.

CallConnect is a public bus service that operates in response to pre-booked requests. Registration is free but you must be a member to book a journey. To find out more, visit www.ConnectLincolnshire.com or call 0345 234 3344. Or visit https://lincsbus.info/