“Women and girls must feel safe while waiting for a bus” – Luke condemns Plymouth bus shelter cuts in Parliament
Luke Pollard, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, has condemned the Plymouth Conservatives’ plan to cut over 200 bus shelters in Parliament.
211 bus shelters out of 627 are set to be cut in Plymouth, according to plans from Plymouth’s Conservative-led City Council. This decision has been taken before Plymouth City Council’s Violence Against Women and Girls Commission has reported any of its findings.
In Parliament today, Luke Pollard asked the Transport Minister if they agree that Plymouth City Council must stop and consider the impact this will have on people waiting for a bus.
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said:
“After the recent tragedies we’ve seen in Plymouth, we have to do everything we can to make sure women and girls feel safe while waiting for a bus.“But Plymouth’s Conservatives are doing the opposite, cutting over a third of our city’s bus shelters. They must stop these plans, and seriously consider the impact this will have on the safety of everybody in Plymouth.“I want to see the council doing more to improve safety at bus shelters, and look into installing more CCTV and better lighting.”
Cllr Sally Haydon, Plymouth Labour’s lead on Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls said:“This is a very concerning move, Labour will be writing to the council to ask them to pause this plan until the recommendations from the Commission are announced.”
A petition with more than 200 signatures has already been handed into the council by Efford and Lipson ward Labour councillors, where three out of the four shelters in Deer Park are earmarked to be removed.
Cllr Neil Hendy said:
“We have numerous elderly residents in this area who rely on this bus service and they have told us in no uncertain terms that they are angry that this is happening, especially when bus services in this area have been cut back drastically in the past few years.”
2022-03-18