Graham Stuart MP meets management of East Yorkshire Buses in plan to strengthen local services
Fri 14th June 2019
Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, met with Ben Gilligan, Area Director, and Bob Rackley, Head of Commercial, at East Yorkshire Buses (formerly East Yorkshire Motor Services) to discuss strengthening local bus service provision.
Graham commented: “My meeting with Ben Gilligan and Bob Rackley from East Yorkshire (EY) Buses was an opportunity to raise matters about the local bus network.
“I’m aware that the 246 Sunday bus service from Hornsea to Beverley was cancelled and, given that this connects people from Hornsea with East Riding Community Hospital in Beverley, quite rightly there is some concern.
“As a commercially-operated service, I can appreciate that there needs to be a strong business case for EY Buses routes, which is why this service was ceased. However, I will now be working with Hornsea Town Council to establish if there is demand for the return of this service and the extent to which this route is socially necessary. If patients, especially vulnerable patients such as the elderly, are struggling to attend the hospital due to a lack of transport infrastructure, it will be clear that some form of this service needs to be reinstated.
“Regarding the local bus network more generally, I was interested to learn about the steps being taken to strengthen it. In particular, EY Buses has invested in the EY mobile app. This is an excellent local transport innovation that makes travelling on buses easier and less time-consuming. In developing this app, EY Buses is appealing to a younger generation that might not normally think to use this mode of transport. I feel the app is a great means through which to try and alter the habits of young people, consequently boosting the number of bus users and strengthening the entire network.
“It’s in everyone’s interests to have more services and a well-connected local bus network. Buses in East Riding are provided by both local authority and commercial services. In this meeting, I invited the management of EY Buses to reach out to me and outline what they believe I could do in Westminster to support their work and the well-being of my constituents through a leading rural bus network.
“Finally, I’m pleased to have learned that there have been no cuts to services and no job losses resulting from the closure of the Beverley bus depot.”
Ben Gilligan, Area Director at EY Buses, added: “Graham is clearly very interested in improving the bus network in his constituency and proactive in bringing this about. It was great to discuss the strategy of EY Buses, and I am pleased that Graham has offered his support at Westminster level.”
