A 'long and hard' look at town bus service

COUNCILLORS have been told that work is going on behind the scenes in a bid to restore the Royston town bus service. Cllr Tony Hunter told members of Royston Town Council s highways and general purposes committee that the issue was being looked at long

COUNCILLORS have been told that work is going on "behind the scenes" in a bid to restore the Royston town bus service.

Cllr Tony Hunter told members of Royston Town Council's highways and general purposes committee that the issue was being looked at "long and hard".

The No 17 town service was cut when North Herts District Council decided not to give any more cash to Herts County Council to run buses.

It is believed that other local authorities across Herts are now considering ending payments, too.

And the committee was told, too, that "local funding" may help restore the service.

Royston's county councillor Doug Drake said there would be nothing wrong in the town council or the district council making a contribution towards public transport.

He said, too, that the county council was looking to run a pilot route in to the Coombelands development once-a-week on a Wednesday.

"The county council will have to measure the response," he said.

Committe chairman Cllr Mike Harrison claimed: "The Government is keeping the county short of cash opposed to those in the north where it has control."

The county council is looking to create a new bus route between Royston and Letchworth which may include taking in Ashwell.