Town centre street "will become forgotten"

Hundreds of people have signed petitions set up by business owners against the controversial X1 bus service, which was brought in two months ago.

First South Yorkshire introduced the new route in September, which replaced its former 1 and 2 services.

But instead of running down Wellgate and into Rotherham Interchange, the X1 runs down Clifton Lane.

Dave Stainrod, secretary at Albion Road Working Men’s Club, said the changes had led to a fall of around £300 per week in takings.

He said: “We just feel like Wellgate has been forgotten. They are just killing off an historic part of Rotherham.

“The furthest the X1 goes down is Rotherham Titans rugby club and down Clifton Lane. 

“It used to turn off onto Wellgate and a lot of people used to rely on it.

“The majority of people who come to the club are elderly and the nearest stops now are too far for people to walk.”

Mr Stainrod said he had more than 200 signatures on a petition and other businesses on Wellgate have also launched their own petition.

He added: “When I called First they sent me a letter back and the first sentence was: ‘I am sorry to hear you have got a problem with the X78 route’ so that stands us in really good stead.

“It doesn’t give much confidence in terms of trying to get it sorted.”

The £29.8 million X1 project has caused controversy since it was launched. 

It runs from Rotherham to Sheffield along the new Tinsley Link under the Tinsley Viaduct.

Mr Stainrod (70) said: “The bus serves Maltby, Bramley, Wickersley, Brecks and Stag and a lot of our customers used to come to the club from those areas.

“Obviously, I am worried about the club but the whole of Wellgate is affected. Wellgate has been one of the oldest shopping streets in the borough for centuries and they are just killing it off.

“The X1 runs every ten minutes and it seems to me that all they’re bothered about is catering for Sheffield.

“They could send every alternate bus down Wellgate — that would be a really big help.”

Alan Riggall, of First South Yorkshire, said: “As a local business we sympathise with traders who feel that the decision to change the X1 SteelLink route has affected business, but we would like to reassure them that the decision was made to run the X1 SteelLink down Clifton Lane, as opposed to Wellgate, after very careful consideration.

“When considering a route change, we will ensure there is an acceptable distance for the walk to the bus stop, and on this occasion, the new bus stops are 300m away from the previous one on Wellgate.”