Bus Cuts - Local MP challenges both Wilts and Dorset Bus Company and local Councils.

6.06.02pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Jun 2006

Annette Brooke MP and Councillor Mike Brooke's recent meeting with Wilts and Dorset Managing Director raised long term concerns over public transport in our area.

"I accept Wilts and Dorset is a commercial company, but I intend to find out how much our councils are spending on subsidising bus routes compared to councils elsewhere. Secondly, time will tell if the bus company has made the ¡¥right¡¦ commercial decision on the new routes." Annette Brooke.

Annette Brooke and Councillor Mike Brooke today met with Alex Carter, Managing Director of Wilts and Dorset Bus Company to ask the following questions posed by constituents:

- Why do we have such poor, yet expensive bus services in Poole and Dorset?

- Why have we now got savage cuts and changes to bus services, from June 4th, throughout Mid Dorset and North Poole Constituency?

- What is the point of the elderly persons free bus pass when there are so few buses?

Alex Carter promised to look at some specific routing issues raised by Annette and Mike Brooke and to have further discussions with our local councils. These were:

- The bus links between Corfe Mullen and Broadstone must be improved.

- Why are there no buses on parts of main roads, serving many side roads such as Lower Blandford and Waterloo Road.

- A bus re-routed again down Lewesdon Drive would similarly help many elderly residents.

- Merley residents are losing out because a bus no longer goes down Merley Gardens.

Many more service cuts, in Corfe Mullen, Creekmoor and Upton were also discussed.

Annette expressed great concern that some services have only been temporarily reinstated until September (e.g Corfe Mullen) with little thought to long term provision of services.

She will be writing again to both Councils about the bus services and will seek further clarification on Government funding towards our public transport.