Hospital petition draws response

The petition has called for health bosses to "save our shuttle"

Campaigners fighting to stop a hospital shuttle bus service being scrapped have been collecting signatures.

Members of the Save Our Shuttle (S.O.S) group were on the streets of Crawley on Saturday getting names for their petition before it closes on Monday.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said the shuttle was underused and would be discontinued from November.

The free bus link serves Crawley and Horsham hospitals and East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

'Formal complaint'

The petition and poster campaign is supported by hospital campaigners.

Councillors in Crawley have vowed to fight the health trust's plans not to renew or re-tender the contract for the bus after October.

The Surrey and Sussex branch of Unison have lodged a formal complaint.

The trust's Andrew Hines previously said the service had cost nearly £1m over the past three years and the money would be better spent on direct patient care.

Campaigners said thousands of people had signed their petition and requested S.O.S badges.