Lowestoft MP Jess Asato has written to First Bus and Suffolk County Council urging them to introduce later-running buses on the 99 bus service along the coast.

Lowestoft MP Jess Asato. Image: Jess Asato's office (Image: Jess Asato)

It comes after Ms Asato raised the issue in Parliament last October, highlighting to the leader of the House of Commons that for people living south of the town who are served by the 99 bus, the last bus home departs at 5.40pm on Mondays to Saturdays.

Calling for later buses to operate back then, the issue was raised further at a successful coastal bus summit meeting held by Ms Asato in Lowestoft last month that was attended by locals, businesses and organisations along with the bus company and county council representatives.

A first bus (Image: First Bus)

Following the "constructive" summit meeting, Ms Asato is now "formally requesting that a trial of later services on the route is held, so that a business case can be made for extending its hours."

This move is being backed by Lowestoft Vision - the Business Improvement District (BID) for Lowestoft - which said they "fully support" the call for a trial of later evening routes.

The letter to First Bus and the county council said: "One of the consistent messages arising from the discussions was the detrimental impact of the lack of later running buses on the 99 bus route.

"James Paget Hospital staff, young people, students and those working evening and weekend shifts are particularly impacted by this.

The bus route timetable at Lowestoft bus station, as calls are made for later running buses on the 99 service. Image: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

"Our leisure, hospitality and tourism industries are also affected given this route serves our main corridor for holiday parks, hotels and attractions with those visiting and staying on the coast unable to get to or from the town centre in the evenings.

"The lack of later services is contributing to the decline we see in our town, and makes it difficult to sustain a night-time economy, impacting our three theatres, restaurants and pubs.

"The greatest demand for later buses was identified by summit attendees as midweek through to Saturday, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, with latest useful departures between 9pm and 11pm."

Ms Asato recommended that a "time-limited seven-day trial" of later services on the 99 bus route - including on Friday and Saturday evenings - be conducted, to "identify the demand."

'Recruitment and retention more difficult'

In the letter to the bus company and county council, Ms Asato said that businesses attending the summit meeting believed that "acceptable pricing" would be standard daytime fees, or a small evening supplement, and that a 30-minute frequency of buses "would make services genuinely useable."

Ms Asato said that employers at the meeting all "strongly agreed" that the lack of later buses makes recruitment and retention more difficult - particularly in lower-paid and part-time roles.

The employers also said that shifts have been shortened and staff have had to miss work "because they could not travel home by bus."

Ms Asato added: "Alongside the summit I conducted a survey of four large local businesses, which operate after 6pm, who explained that many of their employees would use buses to commute if reliable, later services were available to them.

"As a result of the strong interest from local residents and businesses in a later-running 99 service, I would therefore welcome a joint meeting to explore what a realistic and workable extension of coastal bus services could look like."

'Directly support businesses'

Lowestoft Vision welcomed the continued efforts of Ms Asato to improve local bus services, as they "fully support" the call for a trial of later evening routes.

Angela Grey, Business Improvement District manager at Lowestoft Vision. Image: Lowestoft Vision (Image: Lowestoft Vision)

Angela Grey, Business Improvement District manager at Lowestoft Vision, said: "The success of the 107 service shows that when reliable and accessible transport is available, local people use it.

"Extending bus services over longer hours would make a real difference to employees by giving them greater flexibility and confidence in getting to and from work.

"This would directly support businesses that continue to face recruitment and retention challenges.

"Later buses would also strengthen Lowestoft's evening economy.

"Our theatres, restaurants and pubs depend on people being able to travel into town and home again - safely and affordably.

"Improving evening connectivity would not only boost footfall and spending, but also provide a more sustainable travel option, reducing car dependency and supporting our wider environmental goals.

"We fully back the call for a trial of later services so a clear business case can be made for extending hours permanently - it would be a positive step for employees, businesses and the wider community."

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