Hampshire County Council has launched a consultation on proposals to change street lighting, supported passenger transport services and the concessionary travel scheme. The proposals can be found at:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/publictransportandstreetlighting
Part A proposes saving money by switching off street lights for at least 2 to 3 hours every night. HCC’s preference is for this to be in residential areas but they are seeking your views.
Part B makes a range of proposals with respect to reducing subsidies for supported passenger transport services and the concessionary travel scheme. There are a number of proposals ranging from reducing the days and times that supported services currently operate, introducing a 50p charge for single journeys on an Older Person’s Concessionary Bus Pass, replacing some supported bus services with other forms of community transport, using more electronic travel information guides, reducing support to organisation who support transport services and stopping the Older Person’s Bus pass on Taxishares, Dial-a-Ride and Call and Go services. Full details are contained on the HCC website at the link above.
We have considerable concerns about all of the proposals and would strongly encourage you to take part in the survey. Of particular note is the No 11 bus service which HCC sponsors at £43,325 per year to provide the two-hourly service from Monday to Friday (GBC exceptionally sponsors the Saturday service). Some 36,495 passenger journeys were undertaken last year on the Monday to Friday route. This equates to £1.19 per trip while the average HCC bus subsidy is £2.16. This clearly demonstrates to us the value for money of this essential community service and we would hope that you would help us protect this by completing the survey accordingly.
Alan Scard and Philip Raffaelli
Conservative Councillors for Anglesey Ward