Town council refuses to pay for new shuttle bus service

8:20am Thursday 18th March 2010

By Alexandra Womack

Yate Town Council is refusing to pay for a shuttle bus due to launch when new offices open at Badminton Road.

Before South Gloucestershire Council embarked on the £32million office development, town councillors had called for a circular bus service to link parts of Yate which had otherwise been cut off due to a lack of public transport.

They had offered to share the cost of the service, but have now withdrawn their offer as they say the shuttle bus which has since been proposed by the authority’s transport bosses will only benefit council employees.

Cllr Chris Willmore said: "Do not think this is a bus to serve Yate. This is actually a bus from Iron Acton to Chipping Sodbury via the new council offices and if South Gloucestershire Council think we are paying half they can think again."

She added: "We wanted a figure-of-eight bus that would enable people to leave their car at home. What this will do is get people to drive somewhere and clog up both Chipping Sodbury and Iron Acton – it is a problem not the solution."

Cllr John Ford added: "It is a South Gloucestershire Council office for South Gloucestershire Council employees and it should be paid for with South Gloucestershire Council money."

Cllr Brian Allinson, the council’s transport executive member, said: "Yate Town Council has performed an absolutely astonishing U-turn, which contradicts comments from town councillors that they would support a service that would link residents with major local destinations, like the stations and shopping centres.

"For Yate Town Council to now say that such a service will not benefit local residents has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.

"Far from increasing congestion, public transport improvements alongside other green travel initiatives and smarter working practices such as flexi hours and home-working all have an important role to play in addressing both the amount and timing of car use to and from the new council offices at Badminton Road, which all three political parties on South Gloucestershire Council voted for because of the benefits to residents of greater efficiency."

The shuttle bus, No 88, will take the form of a mini-bus run by Wessex Connect. It will cost a total of £76,860 and is scheduled to launch on April 6 from Wickwar Road car park in Chipping Sodbury via Brimsham Park, Yate Shopping Centre, Yate Train Station, Badminton Road and Iron Acton.