Hertfordshire County Council’s plans to cut bus services on 39 routes after 6.30pm each evening and on Sundays has now been exposed to also include Bank Holidays.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst has found this out by questioning officers.

“Yet again we have had to drag out of the ruling Conservatives what they are really planning: first they say the cuts will save £700,000, then after Lib Dem questioning it’s found it is a £887,000 cut! They told us it would ‘only’ affect 200,000 passenger trips; then we exposed it was 887,000 passenger trips. Now we are told that Sunday services also includes ‘all bank holidays’.  So that is at least another five days a year with no buses.

“I am outraged about the dishonest way the Conservatives have pushed ahead with this. They will not even call their consultation ‘bus cuts or reducing services’ instead calling it ‘more efficient bus service’. Since when has stopping 807,000 passenger trips been that? The consultation says nothing about Bank Holiday services being cut: it’s a farce!

“The Conservatives  are claiming to consult but are hiding the real facts.  The consultation says that the amount of support the County Council pays per passenger journey ranges from 10p to over £9 per individual journey. Yet on none of the routes being cut is the subsidy that high – the highest it is £4.19 and the lowest is 8 pence.  They are misleading the public and hiding the truth.” 

Stephen has called on the council to suspend the consultation and put the cuts on hold so that the true impact on the public can be assessed.

“The Tories have lost a grip on this and need to amend their mistakes. We do not support these bus cuts and I know the public do not either,” said Stephen Giles-Medhurst.