Campaign leads to a rethink over lack of bus services to Sheffield GP surgery
Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh backed a campaign to get better bus services for people in Lowedges after fears the plans would leave patients unable to access Meadowgreen Surgery when it runs practices within Jordanthorpe Health Centre.
Now, the MP has confirmed that South Yorkshire Transport Exectuive will change the route of the M17 to serve Lowedges and the GP surgery.
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Hide AdMs Haigh said: “Lots of people rely on public transport to access health services so I’m delighted that South Yorkshire Transport Executive has agreed to do the right thing and create this new bus connection. I want to thank everyone who supported my campaign and signed my petition.
“While I’m really pleased with this outcome, we need to do more to ensure that buses always serve the needs of our communities. For too long the bus industry has put profit before passengers – it’s about time we changed that.
“That’s why I’ve called on the Government to create legislation that would make sure that everyone can rely on a decent public transport connection to their GP and other health services.”
Ms Haigh said the M17 route will change in the autumn, before Meadowgreen Health Centre relocates to Jordanthorpe.
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Hide AdPartners at the health centre said the moves were necessary as the current premises were 'becoming unfit for the purpose of providing modern day GP services'.
Speaking when the campaign was first launched, Meadowgreen patient Deborah Fox, of Lupton Road, said: "The commute is the biggest concern. I am asthmatic and if I have an attack I can sometimes struggle to get to the two sites now so I honestly don't know what I'd do if they closed.
"But there are people who are in a far worse situation than me. There are a lot elderly people who live around here so these plans are literally isolating people."