MP accuses county council of "abandoning" village

Angry residents from Sabden, who have been protesting about the axing of their one and only bus service, have had a face to face meeting with Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans.
MP Nigel Evans meets with residents from Sabden who are campaigning for their bus service to be reinstatedMP Nigel Evans meets with residents from Sabden who are campaigning for their bus service to be reinstated
MP Nigel Evans meets with residents from Sabden who are campaigning for their bus service to be reinstated

Mr Evans recently spoke to more than 30 residents and he slammed the decision by Lancashire County Council to postpone a decision on whether to bring back the bus service by six months as “dangerous and Irresponsible.”

Mr Evans said: “While waiting for the county council to make this decision, Sabden continues to be isolated, and many people are concerned not just about the physical aspect, but also about the aspect of this isolation on the mental health of residents.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This abandonment is causing real pain and suffering here, and LCC needs to reinstate the vital bus lifeline before more damage is caused”

Mr Evans also hit out at the county council for its refusal to look at alternative strategies, adding: “The Labour council voted down a proposed Conservative alternative budget which would have preserved the bus services and still saved money.

“Lancashire County Council is playing political games, but these games have a real human impact, and as time goes on this impact can sadly be seen more clearly. The county council is sitting on hundreds of millions in cash reserves, and if they won’t use that money to protect the lives of local citizens, then what will they use it for?”

Mr Evans has previously called on the government to intervene when he called for an investigation into the county council and what he called their “repeated failings”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The MP praised the spirit and work that local Sabden residents are putting in to bring back their service by launching the protest group Save Our Service.

He added:“It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm, energy and passion that local residents are putting in to

campaign for this issue.

“The sheer number of people that met me shows just how much the local community has been affected by this decision, and I will continue to campaign on their behalf to get their much needed bus service reinstated.”