14 October 2008
Local Purley residents, together with Alok Sharma, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, Purley’s District Councillor David Betts and Chairman of Purley Parish Council Rick Jones launched a petition today calling on Reading Buses to re-instate the stop at Purley Post Office for the No. 16 bus.
Alok Sharma commented: “Reading Buses decided to withdraw the stop at Purley Post Office for the no. 16 bus without any local consultation clearly inconveniencing local people, especially the elderly. I am extremely concerned about this development which restricts a basic local service and particularly hurts our elderly residents and I am writing to Reading Buses to ask them to reconsider their decision. I would urge all local people to sign this petition to demonstrate the level of local support for a re-instatement of the stop at the post office.”
Councillor David Betts said: “I have had many calls from local residents complaining about this change to the no 16 service and they are really upset about this situation. We want to have a sensible discussion with Reading Buses so that any inconvenience to local residents is minimised and I very much hope common sense will prevail.”
Chairman of the Parish Council Rick Jones added: “I understand that the change to the No. 16 service was made because the bus had problems maintaining the timetable in heavy traffic conditions and shortening the route helps. The Parish Council has written to Reading Buses proposing that the route could be reduced during rush hours, as currently proposed, but outside these times, when the traffic is lighter, the stop at the post office should be re-instated. This would mean that at least many of the older people in Purley, who tend not travel during rush hours, would be less affected by the change in timetable. It is good to have Alok and David’s support and I hope this petition will demonstrate the strength of local feeling about this issue.”
Alok Sharma commented: “Reading Buses decided to withdraw the stop at Purley Post Office for the no. 16 bus without any local consultation clearly inconveniencing local people, especially the elderly. I am extremely concerned about this development which restricts a basic local service and particularly hurts our elderly residents and I am writing to Reading Buses to ask them to reconsider their decision. I would urge all local people to sign this petition to demonstrate the level of local support for a re-instatement of the stop at the post office.”
Councillor David Betts said: “I have had many calls from local residents complaining about this change to the no 16 service and they are really upset about this situation. We want to have a sensible discussion with Reading Buses so that any inconvenience to local residents is minimised and I very much hope common sense will prevail.”
Chairman of the Parish Council Rick Jones added: “I understand that the change to the No. 16 service was made because the bus had problems maintaining the timetable in heavy traffic conditions and shortening the route helps. The Parish Council has written to Reading Buses proposing that the route could be reduced during rush hours, as currently proposed, but outside these times, when the traffic is lighter, the stop at the post office should be re-instated. This would mean that at least many of the older people in Purley, who tend not travel during rush hours, would be less affected by the change in timetable. It is good to have Alok and David’s support and I hope this petition will demonstrate the strength of local feeling about this issue.”
