Arbury Conservatives campaign to save Ashwell Bus

Ashwell Community Bus

Please support Arbury Conservatives campaign to save the Ashwell taxi bus.  Listed below are the reasons why it is only fair that it should be retained.  We are lobbying Sir Oliver and the Conservative County Council to try and make sure this vital service for Ashwell commuters is saved.  If you would like to join our campaign please let us know.  Congratulations and many thanks to the Ashwell Bus Users Group who started this campaign.

 

Threat to cut funding to vital Ashwell bus service will leave commuters stranded

Ashwell Station bus service is a vital community link and there is a fear that cuts to Hertfordshire County Council bus service will leave commuters stranded at Ashwell & Morden train station. The bus service that links Ashwell village to the Ashwell and Morden train station and will force many users who rely on the service to buy another car and drive to/from the station leading to increase parking issue throughout the village and dangerous off road parking around the station. There are a number of concerns withdrawal:

  • security and safety concerns from commuters being forced to drive to the station and park onto the grass verges of Station Road which is hazardous, particularly at the junction.
  • there is no street lighting in the vicinity, which has security and safety issues, particularly for those arriving back home in darkness.
  • the bus service is well supported by commuters, and many can't understand why Herts County Council would even consider withdrawing such a valuable service which is a shining example of how public transport should work- linking bus and train services whilst supporting rural and environmental policies in a vibrant and growing rural village.
  • The local plan and recent planning permissions refer to the bus service as a vital transport link.

Passenger usage did drop during the summer train timetable changes, and subsequent disruption and unreliability of train services, however as the train service is becoming increasingly more reliable the bus usage is returning to pre-disruption numbers.