Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has written to the CEO of Stagecoach after a number of constituents got in touch with him concerned the Number 41 bus is set to be cancelled from October.
The service which runs between Bedford and Northampton stops in both Lavendon and Olney and is a vital link for many people living in the rural market towns and villages in Milton Keynes North.
Residents got in touch with Ben after concerns were raised when the service disappeared from Stagecoach's website recently and a number of scheduled journeys have not operated so the local MP has written to Stagecoach's CEO highlighting the importance of the service.
He wrote: "The 41 bus service is a vital service which connects so many rural towns and villages throughout the neighbouring counties of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. This includes the rural market town of Olney, in his constituency, as well as other larger towns such as Bedford and Northampton.
"Over the past week we have heard from a diverse range of constituents who rely on this service to go about their day to day lives, and to stay connected in the wider region. From pensioners, who without this service would be isolated and unable to travel, to students and workers who use this service daily to get to work and to study, the loss of this service would be devastating and felt by the whole community.
"With the current cost of living crisis, many of my constituents rely on this bus service as it is far cheaper and more accessible than having a car. Without this service, many of my constituents will be stranded and have their livelihood impacted, as they cannot afford to have a car. In addition, local businesses would be economically impacted by reduced footfall as a result of the loss of this service.
"Further, as we recover from the pandemic, it is right that we are encouraging as many people as possible to be looking at greener ways to travel, such as on public transport. The loss of this service, which connects so many rural towns and villages, would have a detrimental impact on the environment as it will inevitably lead to a higher number of cars on the road. As we move towards our Net Zero targets and aim to reduce our carbon emissions, it sends out the wrong message to be cutting such vital public transport services rather than keeping them."
