So, people of Suffolk,will you be able to afford your new Community transport as re-engineered by your caring sharing Suffolk County Council? Will it accept your bus pass even? I really wouldn’t count on it
In Suffolk Coastal we haven’t yet been told the situation, but elsewhere in the county people already have had very bad news. Predictably, LibDem anxieties about the format of Suffolk’s new Community Transport franchises are already showing themselves to be justified.
In the whole of the mid-Suffolk district , franchisees BSEVC have already announced that they will no longer be operating Demand Responsive Transport. This means NO Bus Passes will be accepted , all fares will rise, under-16 fares will only apply if are accompanied by an adult, and the under 18 reduction is derisory. And, surprise, surprise, there seems to be no provision for young people to use SCC’s much vaunted youth card the Endeavour (that pallid simulacrum of the much more successful Explore card ). An offer to ‘restore DRT if the demand is there is meaningless. How can the demand be created if the national bus pass scheme no longer operates?
As Creeting resident Mark Valladares said bitterly on Twitter,
“My Conservative County Councillor claimed we would have a “better service at lower cost”. Now we know what he meant”
Mr Valladares also pointed out that BSEVC has scrapped the discounted return fare – his return fare is now up by 54%.
Rural community transport needs to be reliable and affordable because it underpins education, employment, training, access to health and social care for those that need it. Once again SCC’s administration have turned their backs on those that need this transport most!
Caroline Page
Lib Dem Spokesperson, Transport
Every area is offering a one hour ‘drop in’ to inform all the people within the community link area. This adds insult to injury -not only is the time short, but the problem of access has npot been considered. For example the drop-in for the whole of Suffolk Coastal, being in Woodbridge, can only be accessed by community transport link customers BY community transport link. How many will be able to get there for 10-30 to 11.30 on a Monday morning?
| Babergh | The Dining Room, Hadleigh Town Hall, Market Place, Hadleigh, IP7 5DN | Friday 27th May | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| Forest Heath | Forest Heath District Council, Council Chamber, College Heath Road, Milden hall, IP28 7EY | Friday 3rd June | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| Ipswich | Ipswich Town Hall | Friday 10th June | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| Mid Suffolk | Mid Suffolk District Council, The Dove Room, 131 High Street, Needham Market, IP6 8DL | Wednesday 8th June | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| St Edmunds bury | St Edmundsbury District Council, West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3SP | Wednesday 1st June | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| Suffolk Coastal | Suffolk Coastal District Council, Council Chamber, Melton Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 1AU | Monday 6th June | Drop in between 10.30 & 11.30 |
| Waveney | Waveney District Council, Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft, NR33 OEG | Wednesday 25th May | Drop in between 14.00 & 15.00 |