A TOP Thurrock councillor has hit out at funding cuts which means Thurrock Council has to choose between two subsidised bus routes.
The council is facing a £10 million reduction in government funding for the coming financial year – with a similar cut to come the year afterwards.
Thurrock is one of a diminishing number of local authorities which subsidise public transport – outside London – as it is not something it has to do by law.
Transport portfolio holder Cllr Oliver Gerrish says: “Every area of council spending is coming under increasing scrutiny and having to make reductions – the bus subsidy is no exception, although of course the free concessionary passes for the elderly and disabled are protected.
“My preference, obviously, would be to keep all three subsidised bus services operating and we have been working very hard to find other funding streams to do that. So much so, that we have secured a total of £50,000 from other budgets which will allow us to keep the 265 route running.”
But he added: “We have come down to a choice between the 11 and the 374. It’s not a choice I want to make and it’s not a choice the council wants to make, but sadly we have to make tough choices when faced with government cuts of this scale.
“We have spent a long time agonising about this – which community has to go without? In the end the number 11 serves areas that have greater health needs – Belhus, Chadwell, Ockendon, Aveley and Stifford Clays, which rank at or near the worst level in Thurrock for the health indicator of deprivation – and it will be retained.
“This bus links these communities with both Orsett and Basildon Hospitals as well as many doctors’ surgeries – a vital link for people with health needs.”
He said: “These communities also rank among the worst for income and employment – meaning that residents in these areas are least likely to be able to deal with the loss of their bus service.”
Cllr Gerrish also had some good news for bus users, he said: “There will also be a new service number 12, specially funded from Section 106 planning money, running from Aveley to Ockendon station via the Derwent Parade shopping area.
“Despite the cuts, we have managed to find a way to keep two out of three services running and start a new one. Whether we’ll be able to do the same next year is a different question.”
