'Axing Estate bus route is a Council turnaround, that should be reversed' - say Medway Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats are concerned about the news this week, that the 170 Medway Valley bus route into Medway City Estate had been axed, at “short notice, by Medway Council, who pulled the plug, leaving commuters with no way of travelling to work. Medway Liberal Democrats have hit out at the move, which affects journeys onto the Estate and we are calling for the decision to axe this part of vital bus route to be reversed.

Commuters will no longer be able to hop on or off at Sir Thomas Longley Road on the Medway City Estate. The decision came into effect on Monday 30th October and will affect the ASD Coaches service which runs between parts of Strood and Chatham. Hundreds of businesses employing a total workforce of more than 5,000 people, operate out of the estate.

The cancellation will have an impact on people struggling to get to work. The government wants us to use buses and reduce pollution and traffic in our towns. This decision will undoubtedly cause more cars to travel onto the Estate in an already air polluted area.
 

Alan Wells, spokesperson for Medway Liberal Democrats, said, "Now that the bus route is withdrawn, there are countless workers who rely on the number service to get to and from the Estate each morning and afternoon. The number 170 bus runs into the Medway City Estate and is a well-used route connecting commuters every day. It’s a very handy bus and cutting it is ridiculous.

This comes at a time when we are urging people to use public transport to stop the harmful effects of car emissions. I know people are really concerned about losing this important part of the route, particularly with new developments in Frindsbury and a new school, and residential units, we need more not fewer bus services.

We understand that the decision was taken because the bus is unable to turn around safely at the end of the route and there have been safety concerns about the operation of the route due to incidents involving lorries and parked cars.

However, before taking this drastic action, the Council should look at alternatives rather just shutting the whole thing down. For a Council that wants to provide decent public transport, this decision is very short sighted. Funded by the Council, there should be a more proactive approach to save this part of the 170 route.

Alternatives might be a new bus stop added in a different part of the Estate or liaising with business owners to clear parked lorries and cars from locations. There is a need to ensure that the bus route will be retained, ensuring that Estate commuters can continue to access jobs and services."

ENDS