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17
Mar 2021
Harrogate's rural bus services not good enough, says councillor
A Liberal Democrat councillor has said he was "flabbergasted" by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps' claim this week that Harrogate buses are among the best in the country.
Mr Shapps told Parliament this week that Harrogate's "frequent modern services" has made buses "the transport of choice".
His comments, alongside the launch of a new national bus strategy, prompted Chris Aldred, who represents Harrogate Fairfax, to contact the Stray Ferret.
Cllr Aldred said although Transdev's "swanky number 36s" that link Harrogate, Ripon and Leeds provided a good service, rural areas suffered from infrequent or nonexistent services.
He said:
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A 2019 study published by the Campaign for Better Transport found that more than 3,000 local bus routes have been lost or reduced over the past decade.
Cllr Aldred said the Harrogate district's rural residents have felt the impact most keenly.
He added Harrogate Borough Council's overview and scrutiny commission, which he chaired, had already identified bus provision as something to examine in detail.
Cllr Aldred said:
The Harrogate district is served by two private bus companies: Transdev's the Harrogate Bus Company and Connexionsbuses.
Responding to Cllr Aldred's comments, Harrogate Bus Company's general manager Frank Stanisauskis said:
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