Kendall takes direct action over bus pass consultation
Liberal Democrat County Cllr David Kendall and members of the Brentwood Bus & Rail Users Association took matters into their own hands in Brentwood High Street on Saturday morning when they distributed two hundred County Council Bus Pass consultation questionnaires to local bus users.
At last week's Full Council meeting Cllr Kendall, who is also secretary of the Association, had asked Conservative controlled Essex County why they had not sent out the bus pass questionnaire to all users by post. He was told in a written reply from the cabinet member Cllr Norman Hume that the costs of doing that were too prohibitive. He was also told that the questionnaires were readily available from either Libraries, by calling 0845 7430430 or by following our link below.
On hearing this news Cllr Kendall decided to distribute them himself because he was very concerned that many bus pass users didn't have a clue the consultation was taking place never mind where to get hold of a questionnaire.
He said:
"It was definitely a worthwhile exercise giving out the questionnaires, because many of the bus pass users I spoke to didn't know anything about the consultation.
"My colleagues and I were given a very warm and friendly response by everyone we spoke to and people thanked us for making the effort.
"If Brentwood bus users value their passes then I would urge as many of them as possible to get hold of the questionnaire and make sure the County Council know your views as soon as possible.
"I want to see the existing bus pass scheme and the current concessions protected in Brentwood and will do all I can to make sure that happens"