A COUNCILLOR has launched a petition in a bid to restore vital bus services to the Mordens. Cllr Linda Oliver, who represents Guilden and Steeple Morden on Cambridgeshire County Council, is calling for a bus route to be put in place linking the villages w

A COUNCILLOR has launched a petition in a bid to restore vital bus services to the Mordens.

Cllr Linda Oliver, who represents Guilden and Steeple Morden on Cambridgeshire County Council, is calling for a bus route to be put in place linking the villages with Letchworth and Hitchin.

The Mordens were previously served by the No 90 and No 91 bus routes from Royston to Hitchin.

However, these were altered earlier this year, and now only stop at Ashwell and Morden station.

Cllr Oliver said: "I'm getting frustrated with the time it's taking for a replacement service to be provided.

She said she was asking for a meeting with Herts County Council, which handles the contract for the routes, and has been speaking to Cllr Tony Hunter, the Herts county councillor for the area.

The petition will be available in Guilden Morden village shop and Steeple Morden Post Office.

Paul Nelson, public transport manager for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "It is unlikely that the 90 and 91 route will get changed back.

"The information we got before they were altered was that they were not being used enough to make them cost-effective.

"However, we are looking at other options."

One possible change could involve altering the existing 127 route between Royston and Guilden Morden so that it would stop at Ashwell and Morden station. Here passengers could change to go onto Letchworth.

Mr Nelson said: "We're just exploring what the possibilities are at the moment in terms of how much different things would cost.

"Discussions will take place with the parish councils before any final decision is made."

The 90 and 91 changed in March when a new operator, Centrebus, took over the running of the route from Arriva.

In April, The Crow reported that Guilden Morden resident Velma Oakes had sent her free bus pass back to Prime Minister Gordon Brown in protest at the decision.

She said at the time: "What is the point of having a bus pass if we don't have a bus in the village?

"Without this bus a lot of elderly and disabled people will lose their independence.