Chesterfield campaigner calls for evening buses to 'support our night-time economy'

Adrian Rimington, chairman of the National Pensioners’ Convention, is launching a campaign to improve bus services in Chesterfield. He believes buses should run longer into the evening, benefiting residents and local businesses.

Adrain, of Holme Hall, said: “My last bus to Chesterfield is at 8pm and the last bus away from Chesterfield is 9pm. You can't go to the theatre, you can't do anything.

"At Holme Hall, there's a group of 30 pensioners who play bingo in the Holme Hall hub in the evening. If the bus service was running in the evening, those pensioners would go to Mecca Bingo Chesterfield three times a week and that's just one little community. It affects young people as well. Many can't afford cars and they probably can't afford taxi fares either.”

Adrian is planning to run a campaign in the town later this year. This will include a meeting with Derbyshire County Council and Stagecoach, Holme Hall residents and Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins about service 39, one of the most complained about buses in the area. A public meeting is also being held in Loundsley Green with Stagecoach and Toby Perkins.

Adrian said: “To date our council has done next to nothing. Of the 40 borough councillors, only one has participated in our campaign. Since February, Chesterfield Borough Council has been looking into developing night-time economy. But the night-time economy just won't happen without buses.”

Chesterfield Borough Council declined to comment on Mr Rimington’s views on the night-time economy.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council, transport authority for the county, said: “Bus services in Derbyshire are improving as we were successful in gaining £47m to do so from the Government. We are looking at all services to see where we might be able to put on extra services, particularly during the evenings and at weekends, where due to low demand commercial operators need help set them up in the early days.

“We continue to look at other opportunities for service improvements across Derbyshire provided there is sufficient demand to ensure the route can become fully commercially viable after the funding support ends in March 2026.”