Over the last few weeks, my postbag has been overflowing with concerns about one issue above all others – the controversial cut to the number 500 bus route running from Harlow to Romford.

I was informed that as of 6th July 08, Arriva would be discontinuing the service to Romford and the service would now only run from Harlow to Ongar, affecting hundreds of passengers who use that service weekly to do their shopping in Romford.

I was astonished by this. At a time when we are trying to encourage people to use public transport, we can’t be allowing services to be cut back in a drive to save money.

In March this year, the Government introduced the Local Transport Bill which recognised that there is a need for more responsive local bus services and better partnerships between local authorities and bus operators. The bill will allow greater flexibility to implement 'quality contracts' schemes in areas where local authorities need to take greater control over bus services in the interests of the public and provide a new regime to deliver better punctuality, for the first time holding local authorities as well as bus operators to account for their contribution to punctuality performance.

When these measures are implemented, hopefully we should get a better quality of service.

In the meantime however I have taken the matter up with Essex County Council who, as the local transport authority, has the power to step in and subsidise a replacement service. I am also pressing Arriva to find an alternative solution.

Bus Operators may withdraw a service by giving 56 days notice of cancelling the service registration to the traffic commissioner and the local transport authority.  This gives the local authority time to make alternative arrangements. To my knowledge, Essex has not done this. It is time for Essex and Arriva to sort this out. I am determined they will.