Cuts to bus services
From Ben Plumpton
Friday, 24 September 2010
See this Courier article
This would be awful for my family - we live above Pecket Well and rely on the A and B Hebden Bridger services to get to work, school, and generally to and from town. We do have the 593 service, which doesn't run in the evenings or on Sundays, and the 500 which doesn't run in the evenings either. I'm sure there are loads of people who rely on the A to E services. We should set up some sort of campaign to protest and hopefully avert some or all of the service reductions.
What do others think?
From Alan South
Monday, 27 September 2010
I agree with Ben. The loss of these services would be a terrible blow to the elderly, the young and indeed anyone either unable or unwilling to own or drive a car. Socially exclusive and environmental madness! Hold on though until we see firm proposals to cut services (hopefully not) but if cuts are announced I would certainly join any campaign. Like Ben I use the A and B routes regularly.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
It looks like the Hebden Bridger buses (services A to E) will be taken over by Nelson based Tyrer Tours at the end of October and First Group tickets and weekly passes won't be accepted anymore. This is going to mean a huge hike in travel costs for anyone relying on the Hebden Bridgers to get into Hebden and then a First Group bus to get to work etc...
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Firstly, my sympathies to Ben.. our bus to Eaves was cut over 3 years ago on the basis of a dodgy risk assessment after a local campaign saw it reinstated. I'm happy to support campaigns to keep the Hebden bridger buses in our local area.
There are a number of arguments which can be put to Metro. When making the cuts they are legally obliged to have due regard to race, disability and gender equality. If you provide evidence that these groups will suffer as a result of the cuts, then they have to consider ways to mitigate the effects of those cuts. Although the coalition government are not implementing the Labour government's plan to place a similar duty on strategic public authorities to take socio-economic disadvantage into account, this is still an argument which can be used, particularly for those services which pass through Dodd Naze.
However, it must be borne in mind that the Coalition is not committed to public transport, as this paper on train policy from Policy Exchange explains, and we will see a decline in its availability. Expect to see stations like Mytholmroyd and Walsden closed.
I'm proud to have voted Labour at the last election. How different it all was when Labour was in power, and how painful to see families and individuals suffer as a result of service cuts and unemployment.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Jonathan is wrong to say "expect to see stations like Mytholmroyd and Walsden closed". This is alarmist. Jonathan could be correct - God forbid- but to say "expect to see" is both alarmist and without foundation.
The report he cites is from a think tank. Let's be constructive and write to our MP asking him to guarantee his opposition to local cuts in both train and bus services, and can I urge people to respond to the consultation on rail franchising currently on the Dept for Transport website (closing date 16 Oct), and oppose the proposal that operators should have some freedom to reduce services. The UCVR Sustainable Transport Group (next meeting Tuesday 5 Oct, 19.30, White Lion) will be responding to this effect.
Re the Hebden Bridger services, the threat to rural services is real, and sustained lobbying is required. Let's get a fighting commitment from Craig Whittaker.