Lewes WASPI

We are back providing the full Seaford Town 120 Service. The circular route runs every 30 minutes (except for driver breaks) 5½ days per week and covers Morrisons, Marine Parade (Edinburgh Road), Hawth Hill loop, Hurdis Road, Hill Rise, Clementine Avenue, Beacon Road, Station Approach, Morrisons. On Sundays we run service 26 linking Seaford to Eastbourne via Alfriston; and the hourly circular service 47 Cuckmere Valley Ramblerbus with several pick-ups and drop-offs in Seaford. The usual pre-covid timetables now apply to all services. Concessionary fares accepted.

Now no restrictions to the number of seated passengers we can carry on our 16-seater buses, but face masks are recommended.

We are grateful to the Town Council for their ongoing support.

For timetables and other information about us, please visit: cuckmerebuses.org.uk

or call us on: 01323 870920

The Ombudsman’s findings of maladministration gives hope to approximately 3.8 million women in the UK, 250,000 women across the South East constituencies and 6,500 women in the Lewes constituency. We, the 1950s women’s campaigners in the South East have issued a qualified welcome to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s findings of maladministration against the Department for Work and Pensions and are calling for a fair and fast solution. Approximately 3.8 million women born in the 1950s will be affected by the Ombudsman’s decision.

The Ombudsman has ruled that the Department was guilty of maladministration from 2005 onwards when it failed to contact 1950s-born women in person to inform them of the changes to their State Pension Age after its own research revealed that the majority of women did not know their State Pension Age had changed, despite a publicity campaign. We are very pleased that, after a long and thorough investigation, the Ombudsman has found that maladministration took place when we were not properly notified of the changes to our State Pension Age. This is a very welcome step in the right direction. We hope the Ombudsman will now complete the next stage and decide that an injustice has taken place that deserves compensation. The government will then have a moral duty to put things right. We are looking for a fair and fast solution.

I am delighted that it has finally been recognised how badly 1950s women have been treated. They paid National Insurance all their working lives on the understanding that they could retire at 60, only to be told at the last minute (some no notice at all) they would have to wait several more years for their pensions.

Now is the time for MPs from all parties to work together to find a compensatory solution including Stephen Crabb and Simon Hart. The Ombudsman’s final ruling will apply to all 1950s born women affected by the changes, not just those whose cases are with the Ombudsman.

Janet Blackman Co-ordinator, Lewes WASPI (Women Against State Pension Injustice) Group. LewesWaspi@yahoo.com @WaspiLewesArea