Meeting called on bus changes
PEOPLE are being urged to come forward to voice their views on possible changes to bus services in the Harborough and Lutterworth district.
Services under threat are the 44 bus which goes between Fleckney, Harborough and Foxton, the Rural Rider network of services and the taxi-bus linking Gilmorton and Peatling Magna with Lutterworth.
Terry Kirby, chairman of the Leicestershire branch of the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), said cuts in funding are causing major threats to the future of local bus services.
Mr Kirby says the cuts are in response to Government policy and decisions being made by the local authority.
CBT is organising a public meeting to discuss threats to bus services on Monday, June 25.
A representative from County Hall, which has authority for bus services, will be attending the meeting at The Settling Rooms in Harborough at 3.30pm. The bus operators in the county have also been invited.
Leicestershire County Council proposals include replacing bus services with ‘demand responsive’ transport schemes and reducing the frequency of other services. It is looking to cut £750,00 over the next two financial years.
A consultation with the public closes on July 9.
Mr Kirby said: “We want the public to be aware of what is being planned. We want the public to have their say.”
Lesley Pendleton, County Hall’s cabinet member for transport, said although 85 per cent of the county’s bus network is commercially operated, the council subsidises about 15 per cent of services which do not make money at a cost of around £3million a year.
She said: “Some of these services are under-used, and, as a result, heavily subsidised, with the worst-performing costing the authority £12 per journey to run.
“In order to address this we want to consider other ways of enabling residents who live in areas where bus usage is low to access essential services.
“We hope people will take the time to take part in our consultation and have their say on our proposals.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Market Harborough
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
