EXTENDING bus services to a popular city leisure centre will be considered by the city council.

Councillors agreed a motion to call on the managing director of the city council to discuss extending services to Perdiswell Leisure Centre at evenings and weekends with bus operator LMS Travel.

With much debate over which bus served the leisure centre, Councillor Lynn Denham’s motion was eventually changed to look at whether local bus providers could increase services to Perdiswell.

Councillor Alan Amos said he could not support the idea and was annoyed the county council – the authority responsible for public transport – had not been contacted, adding the “cack-handed” motion would achieve absolutely nothing.

He said: “If you want something done about the bus services then talk to the people that are in charge of them.

“I can confirm that the responsible council, Worcestershire County Council, has discussed the possibility of extending the 39 bus service and the operator has very recently confirmed that the service couldn’t be run on a profit.”

Councillor Tracey Biggs said she was a very active member of Perdiswell Leisure Centre and had spoken to many locals who said transport links meant they could not use the facility as much as they liked.

She said the city should be “very proud” of the leisure centre and it was disappointing that many could not access the classes because they did not have a car.

Cllr Chris Mitchell said: “I am all for people getting fit and I do not have any issue with people getting the bus.

“Where is the data that says there is a need for this bus? That is the first question the bus company is going to ask. We can’t just go to a bus provider and expect them to run a service on a loss.”

Following a clash over whether it was the 39 bus in the original proposal or the 36 bus that served the leisure centre, Cllr Richard Udall said: “Frankly, I don’t care what the number of the bus is. There is a great deal of local anger and frustration in St John’s and Dine’s Green about a lack of service.”

Cllr Neil Laurenson said the council should be using its influence to improve the service.