Huge support for bus campaign

Over a 1000 people living in Hinckley and Bosworth have signed a petition demanding better bus services through their villages.

People in Barlestone, Market Bosworth, Newbold Verdon, Desford and Osbaston have signed a petition opposing recent cutbacks to their bus services.

The petition, run by Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesman Cllr Bill Crooks and the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Hinckley and Bosworth, Cllr Michael Mullaney, calls for improvements to the 153 bus service.

This follows a decision by the bus companies earlier this year to axe the number 152 Leicester to Coalville bus service and to reduce the 153 bus service that runs from Leicester through the affected villages.

Cllr Bill Crooks said "The changes to the bus services have really made life difficult for many people in these villages. There are now no Sunday services running through Barlestone, Osbaston, Newbold, Desford and Market Bosworth. The evening services have also been cutback.

"The changes have made it particularly difficult for people who work in other villages but don't drive. This is especially the case for young people quite a few of whom have Sunday jobs outside the villages they live in, now they don't have buses to take them to work."

Cllr Michael Mullaney said "The huge response to this petition shows there is a real demand from local people for improvements to the bus services through their villages.

"We've sent the petitions into Leicestershire County Council. We hope they will listen to the more than 1,000 people who have signed it and work to ensure that the bus companies can restore to these villages the bus service local residents used to have and still need."