Bus Cuts Latest
First group will cut their services from 10th May 2009. The cuts which affect Combe Down are:
The complete removal of the 20a/20c service
On service 2 – the cutting of the Mon- Frid 0642 and the Sat 0732, with the present 0718 bus station to Combe Down leaving at 0745
On service 13the cutting of the Saturday 0743 from Foxhill
There has been no consultation on these cuts. The 20a/20c is the ‘circular route’ used by amongst others, children getting to secondary school, students and workers at the University of Bath and visitors to the RUH. This service connects many of the outlying areas of Bath. Sadly these cuts will affect people who do not have access to a motor car.
Justin Davies, First Group manager said: “We are not immune from the tightening economy and in looking to the long term future of our business, we need to ensure that we best match our resources to customer demand.”
Don Foster MP is appalled by the cuts and will meet the First group Manager to discuss them.
Of course First’s highest priority is not to the travelling public, but to its shareholders. It is scandalous that governments have allowed local people to be at the mercy of private companies such as First for what used to be a Public Transport service. Transport is now a business run for profit by large private monopolies.
Sign the our petition against the cuts: http://ourcampaign.org.uk/onthebuses
The photo shows Cherry and Roger pictured when service 4 to Combe Down was removed in an earlier round of Bus cuts.
2 Comments
have your say
I agree entirely with what you have said regarding the priorities of the ‘Public’ transport companies. I have said many times that the privatisation of the railways and deregulation of bus transport have been disasters for the travelling public. Public transport should be a public service, as it is in many European countries. But could we see what plans the LibDems have for the future of public transport? Or would a LibDem government follow the Tory/Labour policies?
The Lib Dems will invest in rail transport, by opening new lines and electifying some routes, including the GWR. After Railtrack folded the model proposed by Don Foster, who was then LD spokesperson for Transport, of a not for profit’ company, was taken up by Government when Network rail was formed.
The LDs will not go so far as re-nationalising bus and rail services, but we would certainly have much more regulation and control by local councils. I am convinced that our policies would lead to better services, although stopping short of nationalisation. I am in favour of re-nationalising. I will get a bit more detail and let you know, Terry.
Roger