PENSIONERS who have had a bus route to a doctor’s surgery taken away have been told they must pay for a voluntary car scheme instead.

The 686 service in Wylam, Northumberland, has been partly removed because of manoeuvring problems for buses caused by “badly parked” cars.

Operators Go North East say the situation on a junction on the Dene Estate has made it unsafe for drivers doing a loop turn.

Now old folk who use the White Medical Group surgery on Jackson Road face a 400-yard uphill walk from the nearest bus stop or a £6 fee and 50p-per-mile charge to use Northumberland County Council’s Getabout car scheme.

Arthritis sufferer Shirley Wilson, 74, of Blackett Cottages, Wylam, who has collected a 175-name protest petition, said: “I don’t see why we should pay when we’ve got a free bus pass.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if we just had to pay the £6 and no more, but 50p a mile every time makes it expensive.

“I have arthritis and breathing problems so I will pay, because I have to – but only reluctantly. A lot of other people like me will probably say the same.”

A larger bus has been introduced in place of the former mini-buses that went onto the Dene Estate but operators Go North East say the bad parking and not the size of the bus has caused the problem.

Managing Director Peter Huntley said he was awaiting a report from his case officers but added: “The bad parking has been the core of the problem all along.

“The bus size is directly relevant to the difficulty – it does make a difference.