Opinion
Featured in Bath Chonicle, June 2010
Dear Editor,
The way that First Bus has acted over its most recent set of service changes has shown a complete disregard for the needs and wishes of its own passengers.
The alterations to the numbers 6&7 service, which had always run in a loop between the city centre, Fairfield Park and Larkhall, will prove very damaging to the communities affected. By splitting the service in two there will no longer be a bus connecting Larkhall and Fairfield Park, cutting these two areas in half.
Not only does this unnecessarily inconvenience travellers who will now have to journey all the way to the city centre to change buses for what should be a relatively short trip, but it could also harm trade for shops in Larkhall. Many older residents and those without cars in Fairfield Park catch the bus to access the shops and Post Office in Larkhall Square. By withdrawing this service, this trade could be lost. It also makes it much more difficult to access the Fairfield Park Health Centre.
All of us campaigning to get First to reverse its cut to this service are fully aware that First Bus is a private business and will make decisions on a commercial basis. But if First continues to ignore the needs of their passengers, this will damage themselves as well as the communities they serve. We have already seen new bus operator Wessex Connect establish itself in Bath in the past couple of years, and if First continues to act in this way then even more competition must be on the cards.
But First still has a chance to redeem itself. Along with the many residents campaigning against this service cut, we have collected over a thousand signatures for a petition calling on First to change its mind. A meeting is taking place on Friday the 4th June between the Council and managers from First at which the need to keep the service will be spelled out to the company. So please First, this is your chance to listen to the needs of local people, we hope you take it.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Bryan Chalker (Cons, Lambridge)
Cllr Richard Maybury (Cons, Lambridge)