TORY proposals to save £275,000 in bus subsidies were opposed by Labour councillors.
But Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Conservativecontrolled administration made it clear it was improving services and reducing the cost to council taxpayers.
Speaking at the council’s annual budget meeting, shadow executive member for transport, Cllr David Robinson (Lab) argued money should be found from elsewhere in the budget to protect the subsidy.
“You have been attacking this budget every year and plan to do so again next year too,” he said.
“But it cannot go on like this.
“Transport is vital.”
Blacon councillor Marie Nelson (Lab) added: “Over three quarters of a million pounds has been taken out of our bus services since the council came into being.
“And now if you carry your budget forward this will take the figure to over one million pounds with further cuts planned next year.”
She argued that ‘without the public purse stepping in, two million bus journeys simply would not happen’.
Cllr Nelson continued: “What else is at risk?
“We support a further 57 contracts with well over half in rural areas.”
If this trend goes on, she suggested ‘it will not be a case of missing the bus, because there will no longer be a bus to miss’.
Portfolio holder Cllr Lynn Riley (Con) referred to a ‘root and branch review’ which had been carried out of bus services in Ellesmere Port which had saved the council £206,500 a year on going and had improved the service to the community.
Council leader Cllr Mike Jones (Con) said there had been ‘significant reductions’ in bus subsidies and added: “We are not cutting services, we are reducing the subsidy. Even after these reductions we are left with a £1.4m subsidy of our bus services.”
He pointed out that ‘if people actually used the buses then we wouldn’t need that subsidy. People need to use these services or they will lose them’.
