Lib Dem MEP Visits Sutton Bus Station Chaos

8.39.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 1st Apr 2009

Bill Newton Dunn investigates Labour's Bus Station blunder.

Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands, Bill Newton-Dunn was in Sutton on Friday to see first hand the chaos at the new bus station.

Local Lib Dem campaigner Michelle Gent and Councillor Lee Cooper met Bill at the site to discuss the issues with him.

Lib Dems are angry that almost £1 million is being spent on building what is essentially the same bus station again. As well as this there is to be a very expensive piece of art placed at the site, with virtually no members of the public given the choice if they want their tax pounds spending there or not.

Lib Dem Councillor for Sutton, Lee Cooper said; "We have been working for such a long time to get the Labour run County Council to take the problems in Sutton seriously. The strength of public feeling is immense, they want real solutions to the traffic and public transport problems in Sutton. Most residents tell me that they would far rather that the County Council had not axed bus services, instead of simply pouring money down the drain by replacing the bus stops for new bus stops!".

Michelle Gent said; "We are fighting the County Council for better services in Ashfield. This money could have been spent more wisely on a real covered bus station. The County have only done half a job by not providing public toilets there too. This project was not thought out properly, it has caused traffic chaos and will not regenerate the town in the way it could have. No longer can Labour bosses bury their heads in the sand with this issue.".

Bill Newton-Dunn MEP commended the Lib Dems campaign. He said: Only the Lib Dems have got the ideas necessary to sort out the problems our local area have been left with. I am really delighted that the local Lib Dem Councillors are fighting so hard to get action for our area.

The Liberal Democrats have formally pledged to sort out the traffic issues in Ashfield if they win control of the County Council in the June elections. They have promised they will sort out Kirkby and Sutton town centres as their major priority. They have pledged to scrap Labours £3.4 million publicity budget and spend the money on sorting this and other traffic issues throughout Ashfield.