KEY bus services which take patients to hospital will be withdrawn within two weeks, fuelling fears for elderly and vulnerable patients.

North Yorkshire County Council has revealed commercial bus operators are to cancel the X80 and X89 services from Leeming and Northallerton to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, via the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton and Stokesley, from November 26.

The move follows a service run over the route by the Hambleton Richmondshire and Whitby clinical commissioning group (CCG) being stopped and the CCG also implementing restrictions on which patients can access its patient transport services.

Appealing to the council to subsidise the routes, Jim Forrest and Paul Fisher, of Hambleton Over Fifties Forum and Northallerton Area Over Fifties Forum, questioned how people without cars would get to hospital.

They said following the bus services ending, travelling between the Friarage and James Cook hospitals would require require taking two trains and take more than two hours each way, costing £16.40.

The forums’ spokesmen said as NHS services were transferred away from the Friarage it was becoming more difficult for elderly people to access hospital services.

They wrote: “Revisions to Hospital Patient Transport Services means that many people who were able to get free transport to hospital do not now qualify and voluntary schemes that are available will be stretched and people still have to pay a price that is unaffordable on a regular basis.

“This news about the loss of a bus service must be factored into any decisions, as it is now even more vital that we have a fully functioning hospital in Northallerton.”

Yorkshire Dales health campaigner Councillor John Blackie said those living near Hawes would face a four and a half hour journey to James Cook Hospital.

He said: “The earliest you could get to the James Cook is around 1pm and you would not be able to get back to Hawes until the next day.

“Many other communities in North Yorkshire will be in the same situation.”

He said the axing of the bus service had redoubled his determination to challenge the council’s decision to refuse to allow the Patient Transport Service restrictions to be debated before all its members today.

He accused the authority’s Conservative leadership of putting politics above the needs of residents.

The authority’s leader, Councillor Carl Les said: “Cllr Blackie raises an issue which is a concern to us all, and indeed the scrutiny of health committee, which represents all parts of the county and district councils and has already got this on its work schedule.

“Far from stifling debate we want to encourage it, but in the right forum and where meaningful conclusions, not just criticisms can be voiced.”