Ketton residents are hoping to halt plans to end the village's only regular bus service.

Villagers have started a petition in a bid to try and get Rutland County Council to reverse the decision to cut back the regular R5 service that runs through the villages between Uppingham and Stamford. The service currently runs regularly throughout the day until 5.30pm but the new proposal is to change the service to school times and peak times only and there is uncertainty about how it will be operated.  

The service is the second most expensive that Rutland County Council runs, behind the Oakham to Melton R2 service and is costing £132,000 of the current £642,000 budget.

Rutland County Council has had to massively overhaul the bus service to cut costs. (Photo: Rutland County Council)

In November, the Liberal Democrat administration decided to reduce some existing services and also enter into a new on demand service scheme run by its neighbours Lincolnshire County Council. The new services will save up to £300,000 per year according to the authority. 

Ketton's Parish Council says the changes will leave Rutland's third largest settlement without a regular bus service.

A letter written to the county council says: "Ketton Parish Council is appalled by this decision, and call on Rutland County Council to reject the proposal to withdraw Ketton's only regular bus service, the Uppingham to Stamford R5, and to assess the bus service needs of the community and fully consult with local residents before any changes are made to this bus service.

"Ketton is the third largest settlement in Rutland, the largest of the seven local service centres, is currently described in planning applications for housing and industrial developments as 'a sustainable location with a regular bus service to Stamford'. It contributes the largest business rates in the county as a result of Heidelberg Cement Works. There is a considerable number of social and sheltered housing; and a school, library, care home and post office that serve other villages on the R5 route – Tinwell, north and south Luffenham, Edith Weston and Morcott – which will also have no regular bus service as a result of RCC's proposals." 

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The route could be on demand – which involves users booking their transport on the day.

The parish council says the system is unreliable: "Evidence from other areas that rely on a DRT bus service suggest that with advanced booking required for a bus, it is very difficult arranging and getting to a doctors appointment since one has to phone from 8am on that day, you could be number 80 in the queue and so you cannot predict an appointment time to pre book a bus.  

"Stamford's population is likely to increase substantially with the proposed Stamford North development (and Quarry Farm) – this will have an impact on traffic and parking in Stamford, which is already problematic, especially at school drop off/pick up times, and for those with blue badges where spaces are limited.

"A better R5 bus service, tailored to the needs of the community could reduce single car trips back and forth to Stamford, reduce traffic in Stamford and pressure on car parking." 

When the plans were approved, the authority's cabinet member for transport Councillor Christine Wise (Lib Dem) said the new changes are an 'innovative, brave and bold response' to budget demands. 

The parish council and leader campaigner Mary Wade will present its petition with more than 300 signatures to the county council's Oakham headquarters on January 30.