Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint, on behalf of Mrs Y, about the Council’s decision to withdraw a bus route. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains on behalf of her elderly mother, Mrs Y, about the Council’s withdrawal of a local bus route. She says her mother will now have to cross a busy road to catch an alternative bus.

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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. (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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X complained on behalf of her elderly mother, Mrs Y, about the Council’s withdrawal of a local bus route.
6. The Council said it decided to withdraw the route after changes in the commercial network and local requests for different connections. It said few people used the route and an alternative route offered regular, inclusive and accessible buses to key locations.
7. The Council considered relevant factors, such as need, demand and cost, to make its decision to withdraw the route. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating this complaint.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman