Market Drayton residents urged to protest over potential bus cuts

John Harrison, from the North Salop Wheelers, is concerned that people living in rural parts of Shropshire continue to be hit by council cuts.

It comes after it emerged the Border Car, which covers runs between Newcastle-under-Lyme and Market Drayton, could be cut by Staffordshire County Council as part of plans to slash its bus subsidy pot to £1.3 million next year.

The council is launching a public consultation on how the subsidy pot can be best spent, with four options on the table.

Under the preferred option, the council would continue to subsidise the greatest number of services – but with all the dial-a-ride services being axed.

Mr Harrison said: "Accordingly we are having talks this week with Mandy of the Border Car people to see what we can do so I would urge everybody to protest as much as they can.

"The rural inhabitants should not be ignored by the government.

"There are far more immediate issues than Brexit and they need to be told so, but no one should panic we will do all we can to ensure continuance of services

"It is likely that some services all over Britain will suffer as a result of the lack care and of attention to detail that comes out of Whitehall in this desire to cut spending – even if it rips the heart out of the countryside."

Residents say the Border Car service is regularly used by people in Loggerheads, Ashley and Market Drayton.

But Mark Deaville, cabinet member responsible for transport for the council, said: “All bus journeys in Staffordshire are operated by private bus companies or voluntary and community groups – and 90 per cent of these are made without any subsidy.

“However, some people might be surprised to hear that we do still subsidise some journeys on buses by much as £10 per passenger trip because they can’t be run on a commercial basis.

“As a county council we have to balance how much of taxpayers’ money we can afford to spend on subsiding travel against the need to protect the funding of statutory services. This year we will need to spend a record £300m on care alone.Some authorities have stopped subsidising buses, but in Staffordshire £1.3m will still be spent on this next year. The public consultation is the chance for people to have their say on subsidised bus travel and how the budget we have available for next year can be best spent.”

The consultation ends September 11. People will be able to have their say on the county council website, or find out more at their local library.

The final option will be agreed by cabinet in the autumn, with the changes being implemented in April 2018.