Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about public transport. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault and we cannot achieve the outcome Ms X seeks.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council changed a bus service in April 2025 without carrying out a proper consultation. She said the changes have caused great inconvenience for bus users, with some needing to use expensive taxis or walk long distances with heavy shopping. She wanted the Council to reinstate the old bus route and timetable.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Ms X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X complained the Council did not carry out a proper consultation or impact assessment before it made changes to a bus route close to her home.
6. The Council said it had carried out a consultation which had over 700 responses before changes were made to the bus service. The results of the consultation were included in a report to Cabinet in October 2024 which stated while there would be changes to services, wherever possible connections that people relied on would be protected. The October Cabinet report included an Equality Impact Assessment and indicative route and frequencies for Council supported bus routes.
7. Given the Council’s explanations here, it is unlikely we would find fault in the way changes were made to the bus service. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not take a second look at a decision to decide if it was wrong. Instead, we look at how the Council made its decision. If we consider there was no fault here, we cannot question whether the decision was right or wrong, regardless of whether others disagree with the decision.
8. Additionally, Ms X wanted the Council to reinstate the old bus route and timetable. We could not direct the Council on how to use its resources in this manner; therefore we cannot achieve the outcome she is seeking.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault and we cannot achieve the outcome she is seeking.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman