Why Leeds City Council should do more to promote buses before criticising transport firms - Yorkshire Post letters

From: Paul Kirby, The Chase, Wetherby.
Judith Blake is the leader of Leeds City Council.Judith Blake is the leader of Leeds City Council.
Judith Blake is the leader of Leeds City Council.

I AM tired of seeing Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, on our TV screens criticising other transport organisations and wanting to take control of the buses. Why doesn’t she start by getting her own house in order?

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Millions was spent on the Merrion Centre hub and very nice it is too (as it should be). I noticed their excellent cycling map on display. But where is the excellent Leeds bus map to promote public transport? Nowhere to be seen. Nor have I seen it an any of their one-stop-shops nor most of their libraries.

Passengers continue to express frustration at the state of bus services in Leeds.Passengers continue to express frustration at the state of bus services in Leeds.
Passengers continue to express frustration at the state of bus services in Leeds.

The most obvious, easy and almost cost-free way to promote the bus is totally ignored. For years I have been asking them to display all relevant bus timetables and information in local libraries. Needless to say, no Leeds maps are on open display at Leeds bus station either. They are so popular they will soon all disappear because mean Metro do not print enough.

Only the sparsely-visited visitor centre has any on open display at the moment in Leeds.

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A couple of years ago Metro/West Yorkshire Combined Authority stopped producing these invaluable maps without telling anyone. After an effective campaign they re-introduced them. Such anti-bus actions make me wonder if they and the council have an agenda to discourage bus travel for their own political reasons. How else can you explain them?

Should Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake be doing more to improve tansport in her city? One reader thinks so.Should Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake be doing more to improve tansport in her city? One reader thinks so.
Should Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake be doing more to improve tansport in her city? One reader thinks so.

Actions speak louder than words, councillor. Manage your own organisation properly before criticising others.

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

I HOPE that the Government’s talk of more money for buses is translated into hard cash. I also trust that they will talk to bus users so as to ascertain what is needed to make services better.

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I write as a passenger who curses stops without real time information, where you can wait for ages without knowing if your wait will be pointless. The problem of stops that lack shelters must be dealt with, as who will hang around in the rain when there is a car in the drive? Stops and routes must be made closer to where people live.

Oh, and subsidising the re-introduction of conductors would be most welcome. Time is wasted by people buying a ticket, or simply wanting to find out information about the service they are using.