BATTLING gran Edith Ward's fight to save her local bus service has moved one step closer.
More than 3,000 people have now signed the 82-year-old's petition against Arriva North West's decision to stop the Number Three travelling from the giant Weston Estate - home to many of the borough's elderly - to Macclesfield Hospital.
And their names have been handed in to the council by Macclesfield West's councillor Alift Harewood.
Widower Mrs Ward, who lives on Wentworth Avenue and walks with a stick, spent days collecting 2,400 of the signatures - the rest were gathered by her neighbours.
Edith is tired out with the worry that the former users of the service cannot access the hospital quickly and cheaply.
Her distress that people might also be hurt while travelling by foot along these busy roads is driving her on and she vows not to give up until something is done.
She said: "I have never knocked on so many doors. I just want that bus back. I don't go to hospital at the moment but many of these people living here are worse then me and need the service.
"There are people with loved ones in hospital who are seriously ill, expectant mums and people who are devastated and grieving over lost ones who wish to visit the near-by cemetery.
"Surely they are suffering enough and some cannot afford the additional journey. The sadness and stress that I see upsets me but also makes me more determined to fight for what I believe is a just cause.
"I have not been very well these last few weeks. I have been really tired because of the worry over this bus."
Stubborn Edith is determined to get the key service reinstated and has made her feelings well known.
She has written to Arriva questioning the operator's decision to turn a simple ten minute journey into an hour-long ordeal.
Arriva might not have replied but Edith's dedication has caught the eye of many local groups who are now backing her cause, including the borough council's public transport liaison committee, Macclesfield's Access Group, Age Concern and the town's MP Sir Nick Winterton.
And it seems that the OAP will need every bit of help she can muster as Arriva has not budged.
Commercial manager, Derek Bowes, confirmed letters supporting Edith's petition had been received. But that no decision had yet been made.
"The fact remains that not many people were using the Number Three to visit the hospital," he said, "and the shortened trip would improve the overall service.
"There were considerable delays at the Broken Cross round-a-bout which were affecting the timetable."
