Library Users to be Taken for a Ride!

Basingstoke's town centre library is due to close in April for six months whilst it is redecorated, access arrangements improved and the community room refurbished.

The Tory county councillor responsible for libraries has said that residents can use public transport and go to the South Ham library whilst the town centre library is closed for this refurbishment. What a pity she didn't talk to her colleague first who is responsible for buses.

Until recently, buses ran every half hour from town to the South Ham library in Paddock Road. But since the 1st January, her colleague has cut the service to just one bus every two hours. But we shouldn't be surprised; Tories and cuts in services seem to go hand in hand.

Still, Basingstoke's residents will be comforted to know that a mobile library will be available in the Market Square whilst the main library is refurbished. All they need to remember is not to go on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday as it won't be there. Whilst the Tories could afford a temporary library in Winchester during its refurbishment, all Basingstoke gets is a mobile library on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

To add insult to injury, the County is spending £570,000 on Basingstoke's library refurbishment and Basingstoke Council has to "stump up" a further £177,000 to make ends meet!

Winchester gets a £6 million Discovery Centre, whilst Basingstoke, with a larger population, gets a £750,000 facelift.

This is taking Basingstoke residents for a ride, but unfortunately only on a two hourly bus service!