Liberal Democrat Councillor Helen Loydall has presented a statement to the Councils Conservative Cabinet urging them to reinstate the subsidy for the No.45 Bus. 

She said: “this issue is one of those clear occasions where ordinary people will suffer because the council’s administration refuses to look at facts. They hide behind policies and strategies and suggest there are alternatives – but no one has looked at the impact the loss of this service will have had on ordinary peoples lives. 

People could lose their jobs, or find that their commute to work takes three hours and costs twice as much. For people on low incomes this is just not viable. The No.45 bus is a lifeline that is about to be severed – as these bus users become the first casualties in the Conservatives budget. I doubt that low council tax increases will be small comfort if they cannot work.  

But I am glad that I have fought for this, if only to highlight that this isn’t a simple party issue, at the scrutiny committee – it was Lib Dems that pushed to get the idea referred back for consideration but plenty of conservatives supported the idea, and in fact Conservative councillor Jennings suggestion to look for an alternative in a small operator to run a minibus was a fantastic idea.  

It is just a shame that the plight of real people gets drowned out in convenient policy statements.” 

Cllr Bill Boulter, deputy leader of the Lib Dem Group said: “I think Helen has done a fantastic job, she has pointed out the facts, gathered support and campaigned fairly. She is a real credit to her community. “ 

“Public Transport is too important to simply hack to bits – we all know the Conservatives have a difficult budget, and cuts are inevitable but we have to show awareness and compassion in the face of such difficult decisions, andthe ongoing aloofness of the Cabinet is something that makes this terrible decision all the worse.”