Olympic gold medallist joins pensioners' fight for a bus stop outside a new retirement development in Market Harborough to be reinstated

A campaign has been launched to reinstate a bus stop outside a new retirement development in Market Harborough.
A petition letter against the bus service cuts.A petition letter against the bus service cuts.
A petition letter against the bus service cuts.

Residents and staff at Elizabeth Place on Trimbush Way, off Rockingham Road, are battling to bring back the halt.

They have started a petition as they step up their fight to have the no33 bus pick up and drop off outside.

And it was signed by Olympic gold medal legend Mary Peters, 80, as she opened the plush new 58-apartment complex last week.

Steven Meachem, a sales executive for developer McCarthy & Stone, said: “We’ve already got quite a few signatures for the petition and the number’s growing all the time.

“It was brilliant, of course, that Lady Mary Peters signed it while she was here and gave us her support.

“We really appreciated such a national superstar as Lady Mary getting behind us.”

He said the bus service is vital as people start to move into Elizabeth Place, which is about a mile away from Harborough town centre.

“It’s a fair way to walk into town from here for elderly people, especially in bad weather.

“And some won’t have their own cars or transport,” stressed Steven.

“So it’s crucial that the county council reinstates this bus stop to give them a real lifeline.

“We’ve also got more businesses moving in around here so it will be very useful for them too.

“We have also launched an online petition and are spreading our message on social media.

“Currently we have 28 home owners out of 58 homes here at Elizabeth Place.

“Stopping the no33 bus here again will be a huge plus for both people living here and staff – as well as boosting Harborough high street.

“So we just hope the council listens to us and acts as quickly as possible.”

A Leicestershire County Council spokeswoman said: “We are aware of a request by Elizabeth Place for a bus stop outside the development.

“We are currently reviewing the service 33 as part of our wider implementation of our new Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy.

“We will work with the retirement development to keep them informed during this review.”

She said the no33 is run by Kettering-based bus operator Carters Travel.