Nigel Evans recently spoke to more than thirty local residents in Sabden on his Summer Surgery, who were expressing their views about the recent removal of the bus service, leaving the village stranded with no service at all.
Lancashire County Council has recently postponed a decision on whether to bring back the Sabden bus service by six months, a decision Mr Evans called “Dangerous and Irresponsible”.
Mr Evans said “While waiting for LCC to make this decision, Sabden continues to be isolated, and many people are concerned not just about the physical aspect, but also about the aspect of this isolation on the mental health of residents.
“This abandonment is causing real pain and suffering here, and LCC needs to reinstate the vital bus lifeline before more damage is caused”
Nigel also hit out at LCC for their refusal to look at alternative strategies.
“The Labour council voted down a proposed Conservative alternative budget which would have preserved the bus services and still saved money.
“Lancashire County Council is playing political games, but these games have a real human impact, and as time goes on this impact can sadly be seen more clearly. LCC are sitting on hundreds of millions in cash reserves, and if they won’t use that money to protect the lives of local citizens, then what will they use it for?”
Mr Evans has previously called on the government to intervene, recently asking the new Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government to open an investigation into LCC and what he called their “repeated failings”.
Evans said “I have previously called on the government to intervene and to investigate LCC for their failings to safeguard vulnerable people in these communities who now feel trapped, and over their refusal to look at alternative strategies, or to spend the public money which they are holding back”
Nigel praised the spirit and work that local Sabden residents are putting in to bring back their service.
“It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm, energy and passion that local residents are putting in to campaign for this issue.
“The sheer number of people that met me at my summer surgery stop show just how much the local community has been affected by this decision, and I will continue to campaign on their behalf to get their much needed bus service reinstated”.