Residents of Mousehole, a picturesque fishing village in Cornwall, are campaigning to restore a bus service that was cut short earlier this year. The route, which had served the village since the 1920s, was truncated in February when the Go-Ahead transport group took over and replaced small buses with full-size vehicles unable to safely navigate Mousehole's narrow streets. The new stop is now located at the edge of the village, leaving many residents struggling to access it.
Approximately 40% of Mousehole's population is elderly, and the uphill walk to the new stop, which lacks pavements, poses significant challenges. Judy O'Shea, 83, who has arthritis and uses a walking stick, described the change as 'a big loss' and noted that she used the bus at least three times a week. Another resident, Hannah Devenney, 50, said her family—including her children, disabled mother, and stepfather with emphysema—has been affected. Devenney, who has spinal arthritis, has gone from using the bus 'most days' to almost never, relying instead on online shopping and feeling 'more isolated'.
The village has already lost its butcher, post office, general store, and ATM, leaving only a high-end deli for food shopping. A round trip to nearby Penzance by taxi costs about £35. Tim Pullen, 67, a local resident, described the bus stop loss as 'another example of hollowing out Mousehole' and said the village is 'becoming a sort of shell holiday village'. He noted that while residents have accepted a reduction in service frequency from three buses per hour to two, the harbour stop is worth fighting for as 'a lifeline for people in the village'.
Residents have started a petition, 'Save Our Stop', which has garnered over 5,000 signatures. They have also tied garden chairs to railings near the new stop, calling it the 'oxygen station' for elderly residents who need to catch their breath after the walk. The Campaign for Better Transport's Michael Solomon Williams noted that bus stops are 'a shop window for public transport', and their removal can provoke strong public feeling. The campaign continues as residents seek to make Mousehole 'accessible to all again'.
