Travel plans

IT SEEMS progress is finally being made to ease the nightmare journey between Newark Hospital and King’s Mill, Sutton-in-Ashfield. A minibus service between the two sites is to be trialled in the new year.

Public transport links are woefully inadequate and a dedicated service for people needing to travel to visit relatives is long overdue.

The long journey by bus, involving a change at Mansfield, has been a major headache for anyone without their own means of transport.

Predicting the number of people who will use the service cannot be an exact science — who knows when they will need to visit a loved one in a hospital 23 miles away?

However many people use it, health officials must ensure the transport need is met. Leaving often elderly and vulnerable people to make their own way across Nottinghamshire is not an option.

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With the nation feeling the squeeze, and precious little in the way of good news about the national and international economies, we could all do with some Christmas cheer.

That’s easily found on Sunday at the big switch-on of Newark’s Christmas lights.

The Market Place will be packed for one of the best community events of the year, when there will be lots to see and do for all the family.

The Christmas shopping season is also upon us, so have a good look at what local retailers have to offer.

Newark’s balanced mix of multi-national and independent businesses will be able to meet most of your shopping needs and with the high street under pressure like never before, it’s never been more important to shop locally.