Lib Dems fight back against local bus cuts

The Basingstoke Liberal Democrats are fighting back against cuts to bus services in the Borough.

Gavin James, Liberal Democrat County Councillor, and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Councillors Ron Hussey, Steve Day and Stuart Parker have backed a petition by local campaigner John McKay to reverse Hampshire County Council's plan to stop subsidising the Number 12 bus.

The route links Hatch Warren to the town centre, passing through Brighton Hill, Cranbourne, Black Dam and Eastrop along the way.

Stagecoach, which operates the route, has confirmed that it will no longer be able to continue the service without a subsidy.

The petition can be found at: basingstokelibdems.org.uk/SaveOurNumber12Bus

Conservative-run Hampshire County Council recently announced that it will remove funding for all four of the bus services that it currently subsidises in the Borough, including the Number 12 route.

The axing of these services is part of the package of budget cuts that the County Council agreed last month.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council provides a subsidy to nine bus services in the area, as well as the 'Dial a Ride' initiative. The Number 12 route does not benefit from a Borough Council subsidy.

Gavin James, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said; "Removing the subsidy needed to keep many of our bus services running will result in important routes like the Number 12 being axed.

"Local residents rely on the Number 12 bus to get them to town, to doctors' surgeries, to work and to see friends and family. It's an essential public service yet the Conservatives want to take it away from us.

"Hampshire County Council's draconian cuts to our public services are due to their poor decisions and policies imposed by Teresa May's government. We're all now paying for their financial mismanagement.

"They don't seem to realise the impact that their funding cuts have on the day-to-day lives of ordinary residents. We need to put that right."

John McKay, editor of the Liberal Democrat 'Focus' newsletter in Grove, added: "We encourage everyone to back the campaign to save the Number 12 bus by signing the online petition. We'll fight your corner and make sure that Hampshire County Council can see how much damage its budget cuts are causing in our town.

"We're pushing to get the County Council and the Borough Council to come together to solve the problem that they've created, for the benefit of everyone in Basingstoke.

"Even the Prime Minister recognises that the Tories have a reputation as being 'the nasty party' and it's not difficult to see why when they treat people this way."