Keep Bus Services Alive ______________________________________________________________________________

Keep Northants Bus Services Alive

Author: Jane Harries

From: About my Area

Published: 14th January

Jane Harries writes “ Readers, please help to keep our bus services alive. Currently Northamptonshire County Council has plans to cut all bus subsidies.

“About 21 services in the county would be cut, including the County Connect services, which is all many of our villages have. Bus users, especially for County Connect, tend to be elderly, disabled, mothers with small children or teenagers who have no alternative means of transport. As my fellow villager John Riches has already written, “Surely in one of the richest countries in the world – austerity or no austerity – we must look after the most vulnerable in our society?”

“I have ME and cannot drive very far without a relapse. My neighbour is 91 and the bus provides her with her only regular weekly outing, and I know many more in a similar position ‘on the bus’.

“Return fares from my village to Towcester are £24 or more, and from other villages £40 – what pensioner can afford that every week? Our bus is our lifeline.

“Please, NCC, reconsider. And if you want to support the bus users, please write to the NCC, your MP and sign the petition ‘Stop the cuts to bus services in Northamptonshire’ on change.org.

“Our goal is to reach 1,500 signatures and we need more support.

“You can read more and sign the petition here: http://chn.ge/2mA8uzT