Giles Watling MP, Member of Parliament for Clacton, has today launched a new campaign to improve investment in local bus services in response to concerns raised by constituents about the need for greater development.
Mr Watling has launched a survey, which he has encouraged residents to fill in, to gauge the needs of the local bus services as well as areas that increased investment could address. The survey can be found online on Mr Watling’s website at https://www.gileswatling.co.uk/campaigns/better-buses-campaign and closes on the 31st of March.
As well as a survey, Mr Watling has been working closely over the Christmas break with local bus provider Hedingham Chambers to understand better the needs of the company, as well as the current situation on the ground, ahead of returning to Parliament this week. He hopes that the information provided to him will help to make an effective case to Government colleagues, and win investment from the public and private sector for local services.
Mr Watling said: “We’ve already achieved so much investment in Clacton last year - £78m to improve our high street, town, local hospital, and to level up our area. But public transport is a vital part of this levelling up effort, and residents need to be able to access services and businesses in our constituency and beyond. Now that the Chancellor has committed to capping bus fares at £2 for a single until the end of the year, we must go further and address obstacles to route frequency, distance, and reliability – and we can’t do this without funding. I hope that my Ministerial colleagues will agree with me.”
Residents are strongly urged to take part in the survey, as part of helping authorities locally and nationally to understand the scope of public transport needs and usage in the constituency.