Dan Rogerson urges council to think again on bus subsidy cuts proposal
Local MP Dan Rogerson is urging Cornwall Council to reconsider its decision to cut the funding they give to bus companies and to ask for money already given for this financial year to be handed back.
This comes after Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Transportation Councillor Graeme Hicks sent a letter to bus companies operating in Cornwall, telling them that their subsidy will be cut from 73.5% to 44%. He has since put the change on hold but the threat remains.
Commenting today, Dan Rogerson said:
“It is absolutely disgraceful that Cornwall Council have made this threat after setting their budget at the beginning of the financial year. I fail to see how they can justify these cuts when they have already received their funding settlement from central government.
“To add insult to injury, the Council are backdating the cuts to April and are demanding that the bus companies pay back the subsidy they will have already received.
“This will have a seriously detrimental effect. Routes may well have to be cut altogether and for people living in the most remote areas who do not have cars, there will be no access to other towns and villages. I would urge the Council to reconsider this ill-judged proposal and am also asking for an impact assessment as a matter of urgency to be carried out so that the full effect of these cuts can be realised.”
