Bishopstone Buses It While Heenan Gives No Change

It interesting that when Swindon Borough Councillors don't take the lead with bus matters, things seem to work out better.

A Bishopstone bus plan involving work by Gary Sumner of Wanborough Parish Council, with the SBC transport department, looks likely to come to fruition.

Any story involving SBC councillors and bus services sees a number of predictable steps, these include, but are not limited to the following :

- Warn that SBC cannot continue to subsidise a poor-patronised service.

- In a blatant, or backhand way (depending on your mood that day) lay the blame for the loss of the service on the door of the bus operator, despite it being a service that will never commercially pay it's way (that's why you subsidise it).

- Let the now bus-less residents and bus companies know that you're 'open to suggestions' for possible alternatives, with a smaller pot of money for subsidy than before and suggest any possible bidders be 'creative' with their ideas.

- In conclusion, when the money runs out, blame the bus company for not being commercial enough and the residents for not using the bus enough, but, of course, don't take any blame or responsibility yourself.

Well, you are only the elected representative.

In this case, congratulations to Gary Sumner, Wanborough Parish Council and the SBC transport department for working hard and coming up with a plan.

Well done also to SBC councillors for not interfering... too much (well, one did pose for a photo, so it wasn't quite an A-star).