A PARTIALLY sighted 95-year-old woman was left to walk home alone up a steep hill after a bus driver cut short his route from Cwmbran to Blaenavon.

Marge Thomas caught the X24 bus from Cwmbran to Blaenavon last Saturday at 4.30pm.

She was going to get off at the top end of Blaenavon, close to where she lives on New Queen Street.

But the bus stopped at the bottom of the town, where the driver said he would not go any further, leaving her with no choice but to walk.

Mrs Thomas said: “It took me nearly an hour. I had my shopping trolley with me as well.

“I was shattered when I came home. I’m partially sighted – I can only see about 20 yards. I had to cross the road.”

She said the bus driver would not carry on despite her telling him she would have difficulty walking.

Saturday was Blaenavon’s World Heritage Day, with Broad Street closed to traffic.

The popular event caused some issues with parking.

The road closure did not disrupt the bus route, however Stagecoach said a parked car in the high street made the road impassable for buses.

Neighbour Terry Whent phoned Stagecoach on her behalf, after she told him about it at St Peter’s Church the next day.

He said: “It’s a fair old walk from the bottom of Blaenavon up the hill. I’m only 79 but I wouldn’t want to walk up there.

“I did phone Stagecoach and a lady said she would pass it on to the operations manager.”

John Gould, managing director for Stagecoach in South Wales John Gould, confirmed a complaint had been received.

He said other drivers had also dropped people off earlier in the route due to the parked car, or had taken a detour to drop people by The Rifleman’s Arms Mr Gould said: “We couldn’t get buses along the high street for quite some time.

“We very much regret the inconvenience caused to Mrs Thomas.

“We are continuing with an investigation and will be interviewing the members of staff involved.”