Fury as essential bus service faces the axe
A local bus service faces being axed in February. The 159 service between Hinckley and Coalville that also serves Newbold Verdon, Barlestone, Market Bosworth and many other local villages, is run by Roberts Coaches and receives a subsidy from Leicestershire County Counciil. The Coach company have announced they are ending the service after Conservatives Councillors withdrew funding.
Reacting to the news Lib Dem Councillor for Newbold Verdon and Stapleton Cllr Joyce Crooks said "The news that the County Council are withdrawing the Bus Subsidies is yet another devastating blow for the rural areas. Meaning that from February the service will cease.
This bus service is vital to those residents of our villages who use it to travel to work, College, school and Shopping, at a time when we are campaigning to cut carbon emissions. The consequences will be more cars on the road, job losses for those workers who do not have alternative transport and for villages like Stapleton will not have any public transport at all".
Lib Dem opposition leader on the County Council Michael Mullaney said "Leicestershire County Council is withdrawing its support for the service because it says it can't afford it. One of the main reasons for this is that Leicestershire is the worst funded county in the country by this Tory government meaning our towns and villages are losing essential services like this bus service.
"I hope the County Council will reconsider its decision to cut this funding and work with Roberts Coaches to keep this vital service going."