Rossendale Valley 464 Bus evening service: Don't stop the bus!

UPDATE: The temporary 2 month service currently in place is not sufficient.

There is a need for some common sense at Rossendale. We, the people of Rossendale require 4 number 12 seater buses leaving Rochdale at 2135, 2205, 2235 and 2305 to allow people to get home.

This temporary condition renders people waiting in the bus station for 40 – 50 minutes. Rochdale bus station is not the best place to while away the hours. Also the Sunday service will cripple those people who are visiting people in hospital, on shift work etc. We must continue to protest.

Best regards, Norman

Below is pre-temporary service decision.

Due to be implemented on the 29th May some of the 464 services after 8:25p.m. will be cancelled due to spending cuts. This will have significant financial impact on many passengers throughout the Rossendale Valley from Rochdale to Accrington.

This service is widely used and an essential service for residents and various communities throughout Rossendale. The proposed changes will prove disastrous for shift workers, some of whom will have little option but to look to taxis for their journey home. Others inform that due to this extra cost they will be forced into unemployment. This is also bad news for those people attending evening classes to improve their changes of obtaining work.

Additionally, towns in the east of the Rossendale Valley are being crippled by the decision to close a large number of services at Rochdale Infirmary, resulting in patients and their visitors having to travel to hospitals further afield, primarily in Oldham, Bury and North Manchester. The removal of these vital 464 evening journeys will directly result in patients being denied visits from friends and relatives during their time in hospital, presenting a hugely stressful predicament for all concerned.

These changes counter the authority’s sustainable transport and community policy and will undoubtedly hit those on low incomes the hardest including families and the elderly. This comes at a time when many of these people already have to make some unbelievably difficult financial decisions.

Many people travel on a day, weekly ‘rover’ or monthly bus pass; should these changes come in surly the cost of these tickets are rendered inaccurate?

Please put your details in favour of this petition. We cannot allow these decisions to be executed. The time draws near.

The proposed cuts were agreed by Rossendale Council. These people are supposed to be representing the people. Therefore in addition to signing this petition please contact our MP and County Councillor.

Representative for Lancashire County Council
County Councillor Peter Steen represents all Whitworth wards
Tel: 01706 875479 / 07771 338895
Email: peter.steen@lancashire.gov.uk

MP: Jake Berry, Conservative for Rossendale and Darwin
HOUSE OF COMMONS:
Address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 5000
Email: jake.berry.mp@parliament.uk
CONSTITUENCY:
Address: 4 Mount Terrace, Rawtenstall, Rossendale BB4 8SF
Tel: 01706 215547
Web: http://www.jakeberry.org/