Bus cuts could have been avoided

CUTS in bus services at Warrington could have been avoided if the borough council had not decided to take dividends amounting to more than £200,000 from its own bus company, according to Labour leader Terry O’Neill.
Coun O’Neill (pictured) was criticising the Lib Dem-Conservative controlling group for deciding to take the dividends over the last three years.
When Labour controlled the council, they had refrained from taking a dividend out of the bus company because they viewed this as a tax on bus users.
He said: “Bus users are now not only facing cuts in Sunday services – they are also subsidising the Council Tax.”
Coun O’Neill said the cuts in Sunday services, which come into force this weekend, would achieve budget savings of £180,000.
The cuts would cause hardship and inconvenience to bus users and was also likely to result in increased car usage, which conflicted with the council’s stated “green agenda” objectives.
Furthermore the cuts were being implemented without any form of consultation with bus users.
Coun Alan Litton, executing member for environment and transport, said the decision to reduce Sunday evening services had not been taken lightly and followed the budget consultation with the public.
He said: “To do nothing was not an option – we are not in a position to carry on funding all services.”
The reduction in subsidy had been made on those services which were least viable.”