Hampshire residents face a further deterioration in bus services following the decision of a recent meeting of Tory controlled Hampshire County Council to impose further cuts to vital bus services across the county. This announcement comes shortly after official statistics confirmed that the county already has some of the highest reliance on the motor car in the whole of the UK. These unwelcome cuts will see most people in Hampshire having to put up with a lower standard of service and ever increasing bus fares.
Fareham Labour is concerned that the council cuts to already sparse bus services have left many residents ‘stranded’ in their homes unable to travel for many periods throughout the week. The cut which will have the greatest effect is the removal of free bus travel between 9.00 and 9.30 am for older residents, who will find it increasingly difficult getting to their GP or hospital appointments whilst many elderly residents on basic pension will be unable to afford the high cost of bus travel
Fareham Labour spokesperson Stuart Rose said “We must ensure that the this vital lifeline for residents is preserved and Hampshire County Council protect these essential bus services against further cuts which could only lead to increased social isolation in our community.”