Tories Refuse Free Bus Travel for Medway's Young People

9.00.00am GMT Fri 22nd Jan 2010

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Gillingham and Rainham, Andy Stamp, is outraged that his party's plan to look into funding free bus travel for young people in Medway has been completely rejected by the Tories.

At last Thursday's full meeting of Medway Council, Local Lib Dem Councillor Stephen Kearney asked the ruling Tory Group to carry out a feasibility study into funding a free bus travel scheme for 11 to 16 year olds in Medway.

Andy Stamp commented: "Medway is the only part of Kent that does not run a free bus travel scheme. But every single Conservative Councillor voted against our idea. Led by piggy-bank-holder Alan Jarrett, they were just not willing to listen to our proposal.

"The Conservatives, including Tory Parliamentary Candidate Rehman Chishti, have made their position crystal clear. They can find millions of pounds to bail out a charity by purchasing the Medway Tunnel, but don't want to give our young people freedom to travel around the Towns. Sadly, the Tories have got their priorities very, very wrong."

Background Information: Currently students aged 11 to 16 in the Kent County Council area receive unlimited free bus travel, anytime and anywhere, for a one-off annual payment of £50.

The net cost of the Kent County Council scheme is £11 million. The Liberal Democrats calculate that an identical scheme in Medway would cost a maximum of £2 million per year. Medway Council's annual budget is more than £500 million.