Business fears over bus cuts for town (From Warrington Guardian)

Business fears over bus cuts for town

PLANS to cut evening bus services in Winsford could have repercussions for business in the town, according to the Cheshire Bus Users' Association.

Chairman John Bennion told Vale Royal's Public Transport Liaison Committee last Friday that the company reopening the town's old bacon factory was 'not very happy' that evening buses across Vale Royal could be axed in February's county council budget.

Grampian Country Food Groups obtained planning permission last year to invest millions revitalising the meat processing site at Wharton Bridge, in the process creating around 400 jobs by September.

Green

Speaking after the meeting Mr Bennion said: "One of the stipulations put into the plans was that Grampian would use 'green' transport alternatives and the only way they can do that, apart from bicycles, is to use the buses.

"The company has taken this on board - then the county council administration decides to take the buses away. It smacks of hypocrisy.

"How on earth is the company going to get people off a 10pm shift? I used to live near the site when it was open before and there could be 25 people waiting for the bus to take them home."

Labour county councillor Tony Hooton said: "I think we need to keep the pressure on the Conservative administration but I'm fairly certain that these cuts will go ahead.

"However, the message that's coming out everywhere is that people do not want these bus cuts at all.

"They are going to prove disastrous to some people in the community who rely on public transport. It's not just the elderly; it is also people on lower incomes who have no other means of transport and rely on the buses."

As the Guardian went to press no one from Grampian was available to comment.

rfraser@guardiangrp.co.uk