A COUNCILLOR has called for new public transport provision to serve the National Memorial Arboretum following the decision to axe an on-demand bus service.
Lichfield District Council has confirmed its LinkUp project which saw passengers use an app to book journeys for £3 will end later this month.
But Cllr Richrard Henshaw, Liberal Democrat representative for Leomansley ward, said the buses could be repurposed to improve connectivity with the Alrewas-based centre for remembrance.
He said:
“The Liberal Democrat group on Lichfield District Council is pressing for a new Lichfield to National Memorial Arboretum bus service following news that that the LinkUp buses to the villages is to be withdrawn.
“We are proposing to use the existing pink minibuses to run a frequent daily service from Lichfield’s bus station via Lichfield Trent Valley station to the arboretum fitting in with train times on the Cross City Line and West Coast Main Line.
“Tamworth Borough Council already operate a similar service from Tamworth station to the National Memorial Arboretum which is the most popular visitor site in our area.
“This proposal has obvious benefits. It’s simple, uses existing assets, integrates public transport and serves veterans and visitors to the Arboretum, and is sustainable.
“We appeal for public support – and we will be raising this directly with Lichfield District Council.”
Cllr Janice Silvester-Hall, Lichfield District Council’s Conservative cabinet member for visitor economy, ecology and climate change, said:
“We have not received a formal proposal for this scheme. It is something that should be considered in detail, along with other proposals being suggested, by the proposed task group.”
