Last updated 16:01, Friday, 15 August 2008

OPPONENTS of cuts to the bus service between Ulverston and Broughton have vowed not to give up the fight.

JOHN HUTTON

Fears have been raised that the changes, which came into force at the beginning of July, will mean Ulverston Victoria High School pupils from Broughton can’t get home.

If they stay on for after-school activities, local people without transport will find it harder to access health services and tourists will struggle to get to the village.

But town councillors have been told that operating the service at off-peak times will save the council £30,000 a year and that the 5.25pm service was costing £9,000, or £11 per customer per trip, to run.

A letter from the county council to the town council said: “Cumbria County Council has had a significant reduction in their budget and this led to a review of all county council contracted bus services across the county.

“The 511 service was identified as one service that needed to be reviewed because it was the third most expensive in the county that they funded.”

Town clerk David Parratt told councillors that the letter also said that the 5.25pm service had an average of three passengers a day, or four per day on weekdays after school, and it added: “They recognise the impact the changes will have on travel patterns but these changes are ones they feel will have the least impact on travel patterns across the county.”

Mayor Cllr Janette Jenkinson said: “I think it is a bit of a cop-out that they’re not going to subsidise this bus. I think we should reply and write to John Hutton as well saying we are not happy with this response and ask what pressure we can put on the county council.”

Cllr Colin Williams asked about a funded scheme where elderly people who need to travel from rural areas can get taxis when they need them and said: “If there are only one or two people using the service, could such a service be introduced? It might cost £2,000 but that would be nowhere near £9,000.

“It does seem very poor that we are cutting Broughton off.”

Cllr Colin Hodgson said: “These bus services are an amenity for the people. Some of the routes make a profit and it was my understanding that it was the profitable routes that supported the non-profitable ones.”