🚌 Bus passengers call for better Sunday services to and from Lincoln 🚎

Bus passengers in Lincoln told us that the biggest change they would like to see is better services on Sundays.

Night buses in Lincoln, including after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, returned to the city earlier this year and, although this was described as a positive move, some people believe more still needs to be done. 

We spoke to people at Lincoln Central Bus Station about the night buses and positives and negatives of the local services. Passengers support the £2 bus fare cap scheme on single tickets, but some are requesting an improved timetable at weekends.d

Louis Millett, 32, travels from Gainsborough to Lincoln on the Number 100 service and told us: “I use it more during the day. The service during the day is hourly and good, but I would like to see it every half hour or 45 minutes as it can get very busy.

“It’s reliable and on time and the £2 scheme has made a positive impact.

“It doesn’t run on a Sunday which is frustrating. Also, the last bus in an evening is around 6pm and then I wouldn’t be able to get back home again. 

“We would come to Lincoln for late night shopping and trips, but this stops that.”

Christine Parker, 37, uses the buses every day to get to work – the 100 from Gainsborough to Lincoln followed by the 6 to the Hartsholme area of the city.

She said: “I think the service is quite good, but the information boards (at the station) aren’t always up-to-date. We need more up-to-date boards so we know what is happening.

“The service is frequent enough, but not always on time. 

“We also need later buses on a Saturday and more frequent on a Sunday as at the moment they stop too soon.”

Catherine Foster uses the Number 6 Birchwood service around three times a week. 

She said: “It’s a very good service and I think it has got better with the night buses, which helps those working late or who want to go out and socialise. I am happy with the service, but would like more buses on a Sunday.”

Samia Frith, 80, uses the Skegness bus service to get between Horncastle and Lincoln once a fortnight.

She said: “I think it’s a very good service and reliable, but sometimes the buses themselves could be improved. Three times last year the bus broke down and some of them are ancient.

“On Sundays we could do with extra services during the day, at least three times in the morning and three after would be best.”

Athena Lei, 36, uses the Number 5 service to get to and from the St Giles area of the city. 

“I come into town monthly, or less, during the day, but I don’t use the night buses,” she said.

“I don’t have any issues with the buses as they are regular enough and reliable, but on a Sunday it would be better if the buses ran later.”

Athena is generally happy with the bus service, but says she does have “one little gripe”.

She added: “For over a year my contactless hasn’t worked on the bus even though it works elsewhere, so I have to make sure I have cash on me which can be a bit of a faff especially when in a rush.”

A 53-year-old man, who goes by the nickname Sarge, told us he uses the Number 12 service to and from Welton to get to his job at Royal Mail.

He was complimentary of the local bus service, saying: “It is very regular and reliable and good value for money with the £2 tickets. I use it Monday to Friday and never have a problem.

“In this weather they could do with more air conditioning, but it’s not a complaint. I have no gripes at all with the bus service.”