MORE Consultation on Hertfordshire's Bus Services

The Hertfordshire County Council Bus Cuts went out to consultation. Some of the most serious criticisms came from rail commuters, e.g. at Tring, and from the NHS and health service unions.

On 4th November at the Highways & Waste Panel at County, the Conservative councillors made a show of making concessions. They agreed services to hospitals would continue 7 days a week up to 7.30 p.m. and also at selected railway stations - even so Tring would still lose a service in the evening.

Then they decided to go to consultation AGAIN, running up to early spring. The concessions they made are still cuts, of course, and represent savings. Just less severe.

BUT these small concessions are to be brought back again for consultation plus a new form of cut - a cap on the subsidy per passenger-trip. This is a really big saving and will result in many complete routes being lost. It really makes things worse.

What with the savings the Tories already made (which the Lib Dem's had to force them to admit) PLUS the savings still being made on hospital and station services PLUS the new subsidy cap we estimate that total savings have now reached £2.2 million - about half the total bus support budget!

Please protest by supporting the new petition.