tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3589045919631220242.post6689672425129446423..comments2016-03-13T17:49:21.654+00:00Comments on Lorna Dupré: Ah, luxury ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3589045919631220242.post-71381175733121935152011-02-05T19:28:21.051+00:002011-02-05T19:28:21.051+00:00Steve, if there's any foot-stamping going on, ...Steve, if there's any foot-stamping going on, it's your quite extraordinary and ad hominem blog post in response to a measured expression of concern at the impact of the county council's decision. Yes, I've got a fair indication of the subsidies currently supporting local bus services - have you? Do you know what's staying and what's going?<br /><br />If you're promising "a gold-plated community transport system that deliver[s] twice the service at a tenth the cost" I shall be very pleased for residents of North East Cambridgeshire - but also very surprised. Of course I wasn't invited to Mac's "summit" in March earlier this week - and I assume your skiing obligations will have prevented your attendance too - but I'm told there wasn't much on the table other than a challenge to everyone else to pick up the tab the county council was walking away from.<br /><br />I'm increasingly of the suspicion that the county council Conservatives view bus services as a nuisance adjunct to adult social care. I think most people tend to think of public transport as a vital part of a healthy local economy.<br /><br />Of course the Liberal Democrat budget amendment at Shire Hall will provide you with a sensible and costed alternative to this wrecking ball. And of course it doesn't take a crystal ball to tell me you'll vote against it.Lorna Dupréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02368087235577800391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3589045919631220242.post-16927619358918594642011-02-05T19:04:50.883+00:002011-02-05T19:04:50.883+00:00Transport services existed long before subsidies a...Transport services existed long before subsidies and will exist long after too.<br /><br />Have you actually looked at the list of commercial and subsidised services? Have you seen the footfalls, usage stats and costs?<br /><br />But let us suppose you are right in your apparent supposition that "most" of our bus services dont make a profit - don't you think that is something which is crying out for a rethink?<br /><br />Couldn't that large sum of money be better spent? More directly targetted at the people who need it?<br /><br />Typically of the Left you prefer the idea of pouring money - taxpayer's money - into your pet projects. But you can't imagine there might be an alternative? <br /><br />Even if you were given a gold-plated community transport system that delivered twice the service at a tenth the cost I expect you'd stamp your foot and chant "Bus bus bus!" It's petulant and unhelpful.<br /><br />So, for the record, I absolutely DO NOT want to leave people stranded who rely on transport assistance to get about. I made this plain in the body of the interview I gave which was not used. I will be fighting the corner for any of my own constituents who are adversely affected. <br /><br />But thinking about new ways of delivering a service is sensible when the previous government spent thirteen years bankrupting the nation. If you're going to oppose every cut when the money has run out you need to show where else you'd save the same amount. Or lose all credibility.Steve Tierneyhttp://www.stevetierney.org/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3589045919631220242.post-12652766863478212152011-02-01T17:56:18.446+00:002011-02-01T17:56:18.446+00:00How much of a bus service do you seriously think w...How much of a bus service do you seriously think will be left in Fenland if only the journeys that make a profit are allowed to continue, Samantha?Lorna Spenceleyhttp://lornaspenceley.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3589045919631220242.post-59449235906213434752011-02-01T17:49:20.655+00:002011-02-01T17:49:20.655+00:00He said SUBSIDISED buses not buses per se, very na...He said SUBSIDISED buses not buses per se, very naughty.<br />I also believe it was a long interview and I cant believe in that long time only a paragraph was said!Samantha Hoynoreply@blogger.com