The future of the No.31 bus service will be decided next Monday, as Ventnor Town councillors will be asked to make a final decision about future funding for the service.
As reported last month, despite the large drop since the start of Covid, users of the No.31 bus have been increasing since the summer, with many of the passengers in their 80s and 90s telling News OnTheWight that the twice-a-week service is an absolute lifeline to them.
Only contact with the outside world
When we rode on the bus in October, one gentleman in his 90s, who lives on his own and was picked up in St Lawrence, told News OnTheWight that using the bus twice a week was his only contact with the outside world.
Many of the passengers explained that being able to use the bus was not only vital for their shopping needs, but also their mental health. They said that the social aspect of seeing and talking to other people helped fight their sense of social isolation.
Write to your councillor
If you believe this is a valuable service and should be supported by the Ventnor Town Council (via the council tax precept), you can write to your ward councillor asking them to support it. Details (correct at time of publishing) are set out below.
| Ward | Councillor | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| Bonchurch | Brian Lucas | [email protected] |
| Ventnor East | Ian Bond | [email protected] |
| St Lawrence | Stephen Cockett | [email protected] |
| Lowtherville | Steve Cooper | [email protected] |
| Ventnor West | Julie Hutchison | [email protected] |
| Ventnor West | Mark Jefferies | [email protected] |
| Ventnor West | James Toogood | [email protected] |
| Ventnor West | Steph Toogood | [email protected] |
| Ventnor West | Phil Warren | [email protected] |
| Bonchurch & Ventnor East | John Watkins | [email protected] |
Attending the meeting
The agenda for Monday’s meeting also includes decision-making for several other items. It takes place on Monday 8th November from 7pm at Salisbury Gardens (pictured above), Dudley Road.
Places are limited so if you are planning to attend you’ll need to book in advance with the Assistant Town Clerk via this email address: [email protected] or by calling 853775.
If you can’t make it to the meeting you can watch on the VTC’s You Tube live stream.
Article edit
15.55pm 3rd Nov 2021 – Details for MJ added
