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Council has no ideas, no plan, for Portsmouth bus service, says MP

By 12 November 2018September 8th, 2022No Comments

Council Leader has not held any discussions with First Bus MD despite community concerns

MP for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan has shared concerns over the ‘failure of leadership’ after it emerged Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Gerald VernonJackson, had not engaged with First Bus’s Managing Director or his team to discuss any element of their bus services in Portsmouth. This is despite the city council being informed of proposed cuts way back in June.

Mr Morgan met with First Bus MD, Marc Reddy, again last week. Following his own meeting and regular contact with the bus company, the city MP wrote to Cllr Vernon-Jackson urging him to meet with Mr Reddy and work to find a solution to the impending cuts to bus services in Portsmouth.

To Stephen’s dismay, he received a one-line response asking for suggestions.

Stephen Morgan MP, said:

“Reading the Council Leader’s outraged criticism of First Bus I had assumed that he had met with them. I’m astonished to learn that he hasn’t even tried, especially since the city council was made aware of plans in June.

People in Portsmouth who rely on these services deserve better. But after I wrote to the Council Leader urging him to meet with First Bus, he gave a short response which asked for my suggestions.

Well, my suggestion is a simple one. He should get round the table as a matter of urgency and actually speak to First Bus before admitting defeat.

The people of Portsmouth who rely on buses to get out and about across our city expect the council to show leadership and act to find a solution that works for everyone”.

As reported in The News, Marc Reddy, managing director for First Bus in Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire has said:

“I am surprised about the comments from the leader of Portsmouth City Council as he has not approached me or my team or discussed any element of our bus service in Portsmouth.

It is totally wrong to suggest that we are holding the city council to ransom”.

Campaign for Better Transport report showed funding for supported buses has been halved in the last eight years.

Concerns have been expressed regarding the impact such cuts might have on elderly and vulnerable populations in Portsmouth, cutting of a vital access route to family members, local services and hospitals.