Bus Campaign Suceess (South West Surrey Liberal Democrats)

South West Surrey Liberal Democrats <info@swsurreylibdems.org.uk>

Bus Campaign Suceess

November 28, 2004 10:29 PM

Simon's petition has worked -thanks to all who signed!

Surrey County Council has agreed to Simon Cordon's demand, supported by hundreds of signatures on a petition, to keep routes 19, 46, 70 and 71 running.

Simon, who is met Surrey transport officers Alan Teer and Laurie James last Thursday (Nov 25th), issued a statement during the meeting confirming that the subsidy to save the routes is to be provided.

"This is excellent news", said a delighted Simon. "I want to thank the hundreds of people who have signed my petition and helped me lobby the County Council. It shows again that if we work hard enough and make our views known we can change things".

In October, in answer to a formal question Simon submitted, the Conservative controlled Executive Committee at Surrey County Council rejected his call for the subsidy to be provided saying only that they would "endeavour to cater" for "key travel needs" including using community transport.

Simon commented: "At the time I saw this as some progress but it remained clear to me that the only solution was to adequately subsidise these routes and keep them running. Community transport has a valuable role but it cannot fill a gap as wide as the one that would have been left by the loss of these mainstream bus services. I am delighted that Surrey has now come around to my view".

Simon says his campaign is not over. "We can now revert back to where this all started and press for the return of some evening and weekend routes that Surrey cut last January. That's what I shall be doing now and I began by raising the issue with the Surrey officers at my meeting today".