ELDERLY members of a lunch club in Bradford on Avon have started a petition after a bus route was changed.

Members of the Lambert Rooms Lunch Club have been using the number 98 bus for years and are all used to its timetable.

The route was previously operated by Bodmins but was taken over by Hatts on June 1.

They now find that their journey can take up to 45 minutes and the new route doubles back on itself and does not run along some of the roads it used to.

They find it difficult to access the lunch club, which was saved by the Wiltshire Times in December following an appeal for more volunteers, and the healthcare centre and some have resorted to paying for a taxi to get there.

Patricia Martin, of Widbrook View, said: "I have collected nearly 30 signatures and I am going to hand it in to Wiltshire County Council. We would all rather have the old timetable again."

Adrian Hillier, of Hatts, said the timetable was set by Wiltshire County Council and the company just won the tender.

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said bus routes were always reviewed three months after a route is changed.

She added: "Since this route through Bradford on Avon changed, some queries from local residents regarding pick up and drop off points have been received.

"After looking into these, they were re-instated onto the journey the following week.

"The route is longer than it was previously due to the Downs View/Churches area of the town being added. This is one of the largest estates in Bradford on Avon and it did not have a directbus in to the town or the local supermarket.

"Wiltshire County Council feels the additional time required to serve these roads is justified by the number of residents now having access to the service."