Joint bid to protect vital bus services

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands councils are joining forces for talks with a bus operator in a bid to safeguard services.

In April Staffordshire County Council cut subsidies paid to bus companies to run services that would otherwise be commercially unviable.

In the Staffordshire Moorlands Aimee’s Travel runs services connecting Leek, Cheadle and surrounding villages.

But Ipstones Parish Council, which covers one of the areas served by Aimee’s Travel, is concerned about the future of the bus services following the subsidy cuts and is planning a meeting to discuss the issue with the transport operator in the coming weeks.

Leek and Cheadle town councils and Kingsley Parish Council are also being invited to the meeting.

At last week’s Cheadle Town Council meeting there was support from members.

Councillor Peter Elkin said: “I’m fully behind this, I really am. The Ipstones people need support and have certainly got it from me.

“It’s one of the scandals of the present time. We have all had problems with this and it’s going to get much worse as time goes on.

“I will be going to the meeting.”