Shailesh Vara, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire, is fighting to keep bus services which are under threat from council cuts.

Proposals have recently been announced by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Future Transport project which would see the removal of the number 400 service from the villages of Keyston, Molesworth, Catworth, Brington, Old Weston and Leighton Bromswold.

Cambridgeshire County Council is looking to make nearly £150 million worth of savings over the next 5 years as it looks to reduce its expenditure and the Cambridgeshire Future Transport project is one of the ways that this work is being undertaken.

Mr Vara has written to Mr Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, asking him to review the proposals.

Mr Vara said: -

“Bus services to rural villages are an important and vital service for local residents who would otherwise be isolated from towns and all the facilities they offer. It is important to remember that it is not just the elderly who use these services but also those who cannot or do not wish to drive, students and people who may be in search of employment.

Whilst I appreciate the difficult financial situation concerning the Council, I am very concerned that rural areas are being disproportionately affected in the Council’s drive to save money. Residents in these villages are taxpayers too and they should benefit from the same level of service as those who live in urban areas.”