People must vote on CityBus sell-off, Lib Dems demand

9.10.00am GMT Sat 21st Nov 2009

There is no public mandate for a CityBus sell-off

The council vote to sell CityBus off to Go Ahead should be put off until after a public vote, Plymouth Liberal Democrats today demanded. The Lib Dems' call follows the public release of information about the proposed sale to Go Ahead, on which councillors will vote on 30 November.

"There was no mention at all of the CityBus sell-off in the Tories' manifesto for the last council elections. They have no mandate whatsoever from residents to what amounts to a sell-off of the family silver," said Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport Dr Judy Evans.

She continued, "On the doorstep, week after week, this issue is raised with me. There is so much hostility out there for this sell-off. It cannot go ahead with a popular mandate."

The Lib Dems support calls for a referendum, and argue that ballot papers should be sent out with Council Tax bills next year, to cut the cost of the exercise. The cost of the ballot would be very small compared to the sum, nearly £1 million, set aside for the valuation exercise.

Stuart Bonar, the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary spokesman for Plymouth Moor View, added, "A regular CityBus service stops almost right outside my parents' home, in Pennycross. Like many local people, they live in a quiet residential street. According to the council's announcement, routes like this are only secure for at least six months, after that Go Ahead can start making changes. I am utterly unconvinced that this is in the best interests of local people."

The party's prospective candidate in South West Devon, Anna Pascoe, which covers both Plympton and Plymstock, said, "Once CityBus is sold, that's it. Yes, there's some cash from the sale, short-term, but that will go and then we'll be left with nothing. We have something that works. We should keep it."

According to information released by the council, CityBus's current school routes will be maintained for only a minimum period of three years and the bus network kept for a minimum period of just six months with no changes, thereafter the Council will be given 90 days' notice of any proposed changes.

In a recent poll on the Plymouth Lib Dems' website, 96 per cent of the 300 people who voted gave their support to CityBus remaining in public hands.