Laura Trott, MP for Sevenoaks and Swanley, was delighted to yesterday welcome Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Minister for Buses at the Department for Transport, to Sevenoaks.
As part of the visit, the Minister met go-coach staff, Sevenoaks District Council Leader Peter Fleming, Kent County Council’s Head of Transport Phil Lightowler, and regular passengers of the service.
The Minister also tried out for herself the go-coach on demand service, and booked a bus to take her from the Sevenoaks Bus Station to Sevenoaks station.
Speaking during the visit, Laura Trott MP said:
“It has been a pleasure to welcome Baroness Vere to Sevenoaks today. Buses are a lifeline for so many people in communities like ours, and this visit was a fantastic opportunity to show the Minister both the innovations that are underway, as well as discuss the challenges that rural buses face. Whether its transporting teenagers to college, allowing pensioners to see their friends, or allowing people to travel to and from work, bus services sustain town centres, strengthen society, and protect the environment, and I applaud the fantastic work go-coach are doing in Sevenoaks to lead the way”.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:
“We know people living in rural areas have different travel needs than those in towns and cities. So, it was great to see how go-coach’s demand responsive bus service is helping people in Sevenoaks get around more easily and at convenient times for them.
“We’ve committed to help boost transport services in rural areas right across England, with £20 million going towards funding seventeen similar pilot schemes.”
Austin Blackburn, Managing Director of go-coach said:
“It was a great honour to host both Baroness Vere and Laura Trott MP and show them first-hand our Go2 and demand responsive transport. This is our flagship service and the way forward for buses in rural areas. It was great to see the Minister so interested in our story.”
Photo taken by: Lewis Durham
