Kendall calls for end to confusion and uncertainty over the 81 Bus

County Councillor and Secretary of the Brentwood Bus & Rail Users Association, David Kendall, has called on the Cabinet member with responsibility for Transport at Essex County Council, Norman Hume, to call a halt to the uncertainty over the future of 81 bus service in Hutton which is being axed by First buses.

Cllr Kendall has asked Cllr Hume to confirm that Essex County Council will go out to tender and seek another operator to run the service when First pull out on May 1st. He believes that this action will show the County's commitment to the service and remove the uncertainty that is in the minds of many bus passengers in the Hutton area, particularly amongst the elderly.

The 81 service is a vital lifeline for many people living in Hutton and Cllr Kendall has been inundated with calls ever since the news first broke that the service was under threat. On 1st March he took the Association's Chairman, Wendy Way, to a meeting with transport officials at County Hall to discuss the 81 route and other services in the Borough.

Cllr Kendall said:

"The County Council need's to show it's commitment to the 81 bus route as soon as possible by saying that they will definitely go out to tender and get another operator to run it after 1st May.

"At the moment many bus passengers have been left worried sick by all the uncertainty and are under the impression that they will be left with no bus service at all.

"The County Council has the resources to ensure Hutton keeps it's 81 bus service. They now need to nail their colours to the mast and show that commitment to the bus users of Hutton".