AN attempt to get the 82 bus to provide the only direct public transport link between Winsford and Chester has failed.

D&G Bus is set to take on the Northwich to Chester service on October 29 – one day after current operator Arriva halts the service.

But at a meeting on Thursday, it was revealed that Cheshire West and Chester Council had asked for the service to travel to Winsford every other hour – only to be rebuffed.

Kirsty Littler, transport manager at CWAC, told the Northwich and Winsford district advisory panel: “The answer was unfortunately no at this point because we cannot demonstrate the market for it.

“That is where we are with the bus network at the moment – it is commercially driven.”

Cllr Brian Clarke, Labour member for Winsford Wharton, added: “It also would have affected the timetable for Sir John Deane’s College.”

The hourly 82 will serve Northwich town centre, Sir John Deane’s, Hartford, Greenbank and Sandiway en route to Chester.

Winsford currently has no direct bus or train services to Chester, with trains from the town running on the Liverpool to Crewe line.

Cllr David Armstrong, Labour member for Winsford Swanlow and Dene, said: “You can take the train from Winsford station – which is a good walk away – down to Crewe, change and get a train to Chester.

“So if you’ve got an hour and a half, it is possible, but it is not easy.”