Anger as bus services cut 'while cash found for free newspapers'

COUNCIL chiefs were yesterday accused of putting PR before the needs of their most vulnerable residents by making devastating cuts to bus services, while squandering cash on the free civic newspaper.

The Tory-run North Yorkshire County Council announced proposals last week to cut Sunday and evening bus services drastically in April 2011. Critics say the hardest hit will be the Borough of Scarborough, which will bear the brunt of the cutbacks to 13 of the 31 routes.

Opponents maintain Scarborough and Filey have high levels of households with no car – yet the borough and its three principal towns of Scarborough, Filey and Whitby will see evening links severed.

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Scarborough Councillor Nick Harvey said yesterday: "These plans will destroy the local bus network, like the railways in the 60s. Back then we didn't know about climate change and how soon oil will run out.

"How many millions have been spend by governments and councils informing people about these environmental issues and the need to use public transport more, then this?

"Just look at health, with the 'reconfiguration' of hospitals, people often have to travel to other hospitals for healthcare. Hard hit are pensioners and those on low incomes. A 20-mile taxi ride is very expensive if you have little spare money each week.

"Local residents who have contacted me are annoyed that North Yorkshire council has the funds to deliver a frequent free newspaper to every house, pay mileage allowance 8.5p above Inland Revenue of 40p per mile, and squander money on a poorly used Park and Ride in Scarborough.

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"Now times are tough, it is not acceptable to cut services to those in most need. I am busy researching a case to find ways of saving money in other areas to reverse these cutbacks. I welcome cost-saving ideas, especially ways that will not hit the most vulnerable hardest."

The council says in the current economic climate it has no choice but to reduce spending across the range of services it provides and needs to consider the extent to which expenditure on bus services can be reduced to contribute to this.

Richard Owens, Assistant Director (Integrated Passenger Transport), said: "It is our intention to reduce the amount we spend on bus services by 600,000 from April 2011.

"We recognise that these reductions will cause inconvenience to people who use the bus services – but by doing this we would be able to maintain a weekday daytime network which provides essential access for as many residents as possible.

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"This does not mean that all evening and Sunday bus services will be withdrawn. A number of bus services, mainly in Scarborough, Harrogate and Selby will continue to be provided on a commercial basis."

But Coun Harvey, a Green Party member, added: "I am annoyed, and saddened. For four years I've been promoting public transport, designing and producing at my own expense a public transport guide to promote local bus trains and taxis in Hertford ward, a rural area and delivered door to door.

"These have raised awareness and helped to improve patronage.

"With rising passenger numbers in the last couple of years, an evening bus service was added between Scarborough and Bridlington and Sunday rail services improved.

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"People will use services if they are affordable, reliable, run at times they are needed and are promoted."

A county council spokesman said: "These proposals are being circulated for discussion. The county council will be taking all views into account when it makes its final decision."