VISUALLY impaired Wellington woman Debbie Pemberton says the bus service between the town and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton is inadequate and wants to launch a petition calling for it to be improved.

Outpatients and visitors to the hospital from the Wellington area now have to travel into Taunton town centre and then get a bus back towards where they came from to get to the hospital. Then, when they want to go home, they do the reverse journeys, spending about £10 on fares if they do not have a bus pass.

Ms Pemberton, 52, who lives in Bulford, said: “I have an eye appointment this month – I’m going to be able to get there, whether I can get home is another matter. It can take four to six hours in the eye department, so I have to pray there’s a bus to get me home.”

WebberBus, which went out of business earlier this year, ran a service into and out of Taunton via Wellington that did stop at the hospital. Passengers now use the number 22, 22A and 9 Buses of Somerset services.

Ms Pemberton said the problem was particularly difficult for older people, including many near where she lives. Not many owned cars and had to rely on lifts or, if they did drive, found the parking fees charged at Musgrove prohibitive.

“I met a woman crying on the bus yesterday – she was 90 years old and I asked her what the matter was,” Ms Pemberton added. “She said she had to get to Musgrove but there were no buses to take her there and that the bus goes past it.

“She was just so upset and said it was ridiculous, and wondered if there was anything we could do. I said the only thing we could do was get a petition going.

“It’s disgusting there’s no service from Wellington to Musgrove Park Hospital. There should be a bus at least four to six times a day for people to visit and for appointments. If you would like to visit in the evening you can’t, as there are no buses.”

She said it was ironic buses were calling at Somerset College on Wellington Road, even though it is shut for several weeks over the summer and were picking up no-one.

“We need a better service and the only way we’re going to get a better service is by all of us standing together – and I’m sure Wellington will,” Ms Pemberton added.

“I feel the town is being cut off, more money is going into Taunton – more money should be coming here.”