Lib Dems force Surrey County Council to reconsider axing Pegasus school buses

3.37.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Oct 2009

Pegasus school buses carry 800 primary school children to 14 schools

Due to the pressure and the thorough examination of Liberal Democrat councillor David Goodwin, Surrey County Council Transport Select Committee have forced the Council's Cabinet to reconsider their decision to axe the popular Pegasus school bus service and to proceed instead with a proper investigation to find out how it can be maintained in future for the benefit of Guildford children and parents.

County Councillor David Goodwin, Lib Dem spokesman for Transport said: "This is a pilot project which has not been properly assessed. Unless the Council's Cabinet orders all the points contained in the proposed feasibility study to be properly investigated, they cannot say categorically that the service is not viable. If the Cabinet still decides to axe the service, it will not be a saving, but a waste of Surrey's taxpayer's money. If the Conservatives had been serious about providing this service they would have carried out a detailed feasibility study, which has not been the case."

He added: "This is typical of the Conservative approach to public services. They know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Cutting the service without proper assessment means that all the money and investment in the purchase of twenty two buses will have gone to waste, schools will lose a valuable service, parents will have to find another way to transport their children to and from school and all the roads around 14 schools will have their congestion increased."