CONCERNED residents aired their grievances about the buses in the Leys at an informal discussion group called Leys Voice.

The initiative was set up about two months ago by Oxford City Council officers and residents as a sub-group of the Leys Community Partnership.

At a meeting at the beginning of June, Leys Voice began with discussions around bus services in Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys.

Greater Leys resident Gloria Shields, 78, said: “The reason I came was that I heard some rumours that they were going to take the buses off Greater Leys. I felt it was my duty to come tonight and see for myself. I’m so glad it’s not true.”

People talked about the difficulty of reaching supermarkets – in particular the Cowley branch of Tesco and Sainsbury’s in Heyford Hill – by bus, along with Bus Users Oxford Chairman Hugh Jaeger.

He said: “It has been a few years since I went to the Sainsbury’s but I remember horrific pressure in the car park. You’d think an alternative would be attractive.

“Blackbird Leys has a frequent service into the city centre, but that’s all it has.”

The inaccessibility of Greater Leys by bus was also mentioned. Resident Alan Witton, 71, who previously worked on the county council’s public transport team, said the frequency and timing of buses to the estate was not good enough.

Co-organiser Pete Carter, also from Greater Leys and an ex-Thames Transit employee himself, said the topic had been chosen after he heard complaints from local residents.

The Leys Community Partnership meets four times a year and gets the council, housing associations and others around the table.

Meeting on the first Thursday of every month at the Community Centre, Blackbird Leys Road, Leys Voice is the newest sub-group. It aims to bolster the existing service by giving local people a separate, more relaxed way to air their concerns.

Mr Carter added: “Not many attend the Community Partnership because they feel intimidated, and that things go over their heads.

“This is a more informal way of getting people’s voices heard.”

Andy Morrison, commercial manager at Oxford Bus Company, said: “We have in fact operated a service to Tesco in the past for students (U4) from the Headington area and this had to be removed due to lack of use.”

“We will certainly keep this under review however, particularly if the proposed redevelopment of Grenoble Road goes forward.”

* For details, contact Milly Macpherson on 07733 301256, e-mail mmacpherson@oxford.gov.uk or visit tinyurl.com/q5mjhx5