Lack of buses is putting people in danger in Herefordshire

It was cut in 2015 by the then Conservative-led Herefordshire Council as an austerity measure but surely by now with all the new building across the county there would be sufficient funds to restore it.

Without the evening bus service, people cannot get back to Kington unless they take a £70 taxi ride or rely on friends for a lift.

The last bus leaves Hereford at 6.20pm so effectively it means no access to evening classes even if they are part of an apprenticeship scheme. It denies access to employment – if you cannot do a late shift because you cannot get home, then you don’t get the job. Evening visits to patients at the hospital or even a night out for a drink or to see a film are not on. Also, if your train gets into Hereford after 6.20pm, then there is no connection. Lastly, if there are women and girls having to cadge lifts home then they are exposed to all sorts of dangers.

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Herefordshire has an ageing population and there are those who will have to give up driving for health reasons, plus there may be people who would prefer a greener option. As a holder of a bus pass, I would be quite happy to pay the full fare if only to have a service. It doesn’t even need to run hourly.

While we’re about it, restoring the Kington/Leominster service wouldn’t go amiss.

If Herefordshire Council has a policy to reduce its carbon footprint, then public transport, which must be considered as a service and not a money-making business, has to be subsidised as this is the only solution.

ISOBEL HUTTON

Lyonshall

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