Despite over twelve thousand Herts residents petitioning in 2014 for bus services to be improved the Tories in County Hall were determined to slash bus services across the County. They voted down proposals from the Liberal Democrats that would have both protected bus services and saved £753,000.
Instead the Tories chose to cap bus subsidies at a level that meant no buses at all in most rural areas and certain routes stopped at 7.30pm.
Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, then Leader of the Lib Dems on Hertsh County Council, commented at the time: “The full range of cuts they are now proposing amount to £1.5 million – on top of £700,000 savings already made – that’s £2.2m in total!
“Shift workers, people visiting family in hospital and even commuters will be hit – many people are still on their way home from work at 7.30pm. We should be encouraging people out of cars and onto buses. Cutting bus services like this will just make matters worse.
The Lib Dems pledged to do what they could to fight against the cuts. “Today Herts Tories showed they were heartless and want to cut the only means of transport for tens of thousands of residents, whether to get to work , hospitals, shopping or just go out. We cannot allow this cull of our public transport service to happen“
In Tring at least they succeeded in getting the 7.30 pm deadline was pushed back to include 8.04 pm train that is important for many commuters.