Supermarket axes free bus service to store

A supermarket has confirmed it plans to axe its free bus service from New Year’s Eve.

Asda said the service, which takes customers from Blackwood Bus Station to its Blackwood store, is “no longer viable”.

The supermarket chain pays Stagecoach to run the service, but has pulled funding.

However, Blackwood ward councillor Kevin Etheridge was critical of the decision, saying it will have an impact on the wellbeing of elderly and vulnerable residents.

Cllr Etheridge said: “A lot of vulnerable and elderly people use this bus service. It’s a major blow.”

He said he found out about the decision after Caerphilly County Borough Council notified three three ward councillors for Blackwood (Cllr Etheridge, Cllr Nigel Dix and Cllr Andrew Farina-Childs) on Monday, December 21.

The store has said they will offer a free annual delivery pass for affected customers so they can get their shopping delivered to their door from January 1.

But Cllr Etheridge said Asda should have held a consultation into the decision.

He said: “I thought they were for the community. They need to come to Blackwood and see the strength of feeling.

“Many elderly people see their trip to Asda as a day out, a chance to meet with friends and go to the cafe, do a shop and then go home.

“A click and collect service or free delivery is not the point – it’s the wellbeing of residents.”

The independent councillor has written to Asda’s managing director and called for a meeting with him at the Blackwood store.

An Asda spokesperson said: “We have completed a thorough assessment of this free bus service and unfortunately it is no longer viable. We have therefore made the decision to cancel it with effect from December 31.

“We appreciate this will be disappointing to the small number of users and we will be supporting these customers with a free annual delivery pass for our online shopping service from the January 1.”