'Stop the bus cuts' (From This is Hampshire)
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'Stop the bus cuts'
9:05am Thursday 29th March 2012 in News By Simon Moss
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Student George Severs, 17, Mark Nickell, 17, Olivia Slowey, 17, Laurie Wooldridge, 16, Jack Spencer, 16, Chris Wall, 17, Natalie Rowell, 16, Emma Swanson, 17, Janis Ellis, 18, and Declan Langron, 17
STUDENTS protesting against cuts to bus services will hand in a petition to Basingstoke civic leaders tonight.
More than 500 students at Queen Mary’s College have signed up, and the petition will be handed over at the full meeting of Basingstoke and Deane Council in the Civic Offices.
Members of the newly-formed QMC Labour Students group collected 578 signatures in just three days, saying teenagers have been badly hit by the reductions, which came after Hampshire County Council agreed to cut its subsidy to loss-making services. As a result, bus operator Stagecoach has had to revise its timetable, with no services running after 9.30pm.
Group member Janis Ellis, 18, told The Gazette: “We heard a lot of people were unhappy with the bus services as they made people late for lessons and can cause real problems for people who live further away.
“Considering we collected that many signatures in just three days, we think this shows how unhappy people are. It is not just getting to college that is an issue.
“With the buses not running very late it means people have to get taxis back, which are more expensive, or walk back, which can be dangerous. We want Stagecoach to see just how much their cuts are hurting people.”
Labour borough and county Councillor Jane Frankum, who is collecting a borough-wide petition against bus reductions that is getting close to 2,000 signatures, praised the students. She said: “I have been saying for over a year now how these cuts will affect young and old, and this goes to prove that.”
Andrew Dyer, managing director of Stagecoach South, said: “When routes or journeys are not carrying enough passengers to cover their costs, the local authority must make tough decisions on those that they are able to pay for, and they decided that some of the journeys we previously ran under contract to them, on this basis, could no longer operate.”
Comments(12)
jpennycook
says...
5:01pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
says...
6:52pm Thu 29 Mar 12
That said, just how many parts of Basingstoke are actually within walking or cycling distance of each other? Most of them.
Best_Name_Ever
says...
8:27pm Thu 29 Mar 12
InBasingstoke
says...
9:26pm Thu 29 Mar 12
Keep_Calm_And_CommenI suffer from Major Depression, and I have to say... although I'm 19 and Unemployed... I agree with you I've not been lucky on finding a job but I don't see why I would be unable to work... just because I suffer from MD. (I don't take any JS or other benefits just to clarify I don't see why I'm entitled to it so I don't claim it.)
t wrote:
Typical students. This happened over six months ago, and they've just noticed........
I'd be more worried about the massive fare increases coming up at the end of April. Chances are you won't be worried about the lack of buses, because you won't be able to afford to use one!
Still, pensioners and work-shy-lazy pseudo disabled sick and depressed parasites with free travel will still be eligible to moan about it.....
STEPH42
says...
12:40am Fri 30 Mar 12
Keep_Calm_And_CommenWHAT AN AWFUL COMMENT CALLING THE PENSIONERS AND DISABLED PEOPLE PARASITES. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE DISABLED DONT GET BUS PASSES ONLY THE ELDERLY, AND HAVEN`T THEY WORKED THIER WHOLE LIVES, PAID THIER TAXES AND FOUGHT FOR THIER COUNTRY? STUDENTS GET A BAD PRESS, HERE THEY ARE HIGHLIGHTING A PROBLEM THAT WILL AFFECT MANY RESIDENTS LIVES, CARING ABOUT THIER COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE SLATED FOR IT. SUCH NEGATIVE COMMENTS LIKE THIS ABOUT VULNERABLE GROUPS IN OUR SOCIETY ARE QUITE FRANKLY APPALLING.
t wrote:
Typical students. This happened over six months ago, and they've just noticed........
I'd be more worried about the massive fare increases coming up at the end of April. Chances are you won't be worried about the lack of buses, because you won't be able to afford to use one!
Still, pensioners and work-shy-lazy pseudo disabled sick and depressed parasites with free travel will still be eligible to moan about it.....
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
says...
7:02am Fri 30 Mar 12
robertspet8
says...
1:47pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Keep_Calm_And_CommenMost bigots base their comments on a grain of truth.
t wrote:
It's a fair comment. Many of them are parasites and cheats. If we stopped throwing money at free bus passes for scroungers, we could afford to subsidise buses so people who WORK for a living could get home.
A small number of people are parasites and cheats and they make all the headlines. But the vast majority of people, who are law abiding, responsible members of society, never get mentioned.
Why should bus travel be subsidised for workers in preference to any other section of society?
There are a lot of people who receive benefits they do not need (for instance I get a winter fuel allowance even though I do not need it). I have banged on before about changing our tax and benefits system which would free-up loads of cash which could be used to create a public transport system fit for purpose and subsidised for all. Then maybe we would begin to get a few more vehicles off the road.
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
says...
4:11pm Fri 30 Mar 12
Why should we subsidise bus services at all would be a better question that 'why for the working, why for the disabled, why for children going to school'.
If you are taking a winter fuel allowance you don't need then in my opinion, that makes you a bit of a parasite too. I hope you give it back, or pass it on to someone who really is in need - you seem to know so many, after all.
InBasingstoke
says...
7:35am Sat 31 Mar 12
Keep_Calm_And_CommenI guess, when you're old you will not accept the free bus pass, and winter fuel allowance...
t wrote:
"many" is a fair quantifier - but thanks for the childish 'bigot' remark. It because people are scared that they may offend someone that we have this wonderful state of affairs.
Why should we subsidise bus services at all would be a better question that 'why for the working, why for the disabled, why for children going to school'.
If you are taking a winter fuel allowance you don't need then in my opinion, that makes you a bit of a parasite too. I hope you give it back, or pass it on to someone who really is in need - you seem to know so many, after all.
and you do realise... the school thing... they don't get it for free...
and the school/college buses are paid for by the school who have kids (I.E like Cranbounre) in outter villages.
robertspet8
says...
11:45am Mon 2 Apr 12
t says...'Why should we subsidise bus services at all would be a better question that 'why for the working, why for the disabled, why for children going to school''
That is a very good question, but I dont know the answer. I do not like subsidies (just look at the CAP) but I also think we need to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and I consider subsidising public transport (carrot) is better than pricing people off the roads (stick).
As for me being a parasite, I am probably no worse or no better than anyboy who receives untargetted benefits: child benefit, winter fuel allowance, free prescriptions, bus passes, old age pension, etc.
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
says...
3:42pm Fri 6 Apr 12
Keep_Calm_And_Comment says...
12:42pm Thu 29 Mar 12
I'd be more worried about the massive fare increases coming up at the end of April. Chances are you won't be worried about the lack of buses, because you won't be able to afford to use one!
Still, pensioners and work-shy-lazy pseudo disabled sick and depressed parasites with free travel will still be eligible to moan about it.....