RESIDENTS are claiming a newly opened surgery has not considered transport for the elderly.

St Lawrence Surgery, which was in Bocking End, re-opened at the Church Lane Surgery at a better venue at Braintree College last month.

Stephen Holdstock, of Hay Lane, said he had to wait over an hour to get home from the surgery.

Mr Holdstock, 73, said the surgery should have considered transport for the elderly and disabled.

He uses the number 38 Stephensons bus to get to the college, but he said they were rare.

He said: "I think it's disgusting, I went down to the surgery for the first time on Friday and there is a bus stop just outside the college but no bus times.

"I was out of my appointment by 10.30am but after calling the bus company they said there was not another number 38 bus until 4.30pm.

"I think for older pensioners like me without their own transport it's disgusting."

Mr Holdstock said he felt the service should be available every 30 minutes.

He said: "I didn't know if other buses were available, the surgery does not have any service timetables.

"I have chronic kidney disease so if I have to walk far I have to stop and rest.

"Since they moved the surgery they have made no arrangements to get any sort of transport.

"Before they moved I could get the number 70 bus to Braintree bus park."

Julia Perkins, another resident, said although it didn't affect her personally she felt something needed to be done for older residents.

She said: "I was discussing it with some other Braintree residents recently and they were commenting on how difficult it was to get a bus to the doctors surgery at a time to attend their appointments, in some cases they are having to go an hour earlier.

"Some of them are elderly and it's very hard for them, then of course they have to get home again.

"They are having to attend the surgery regularly so it's very difficult for them."

When contacted the surgery said they did not have bus timetables up, but will be printing them out to display on the noticeboard.

They said Braintree Council also offered a community transport service which runs to and from Braintree College.

Stephensons has a 9A service to Great Notley, but there are only three buses running throughout the day.

Hedingham bus company also runs a number 34 service to Great Notley.

Stephensons has been contacted for comment.