WHILE I have every sympathy with those people affected by and protesting against the cuts in bus services in the Forest and surrounding areas like Newent, and the closure of Ross library, I would like to point out that any of those involved that voted for the present government have a direct responsibility for those cuts.

In addition to the government’s cut in funding for local authorities, the bus service operators’ grant, which provides a fuel duty rebate to bus service operators, has been cut by 20 per cent.

Local authorities have understandably responded by reducing their funding for bus services by £44m (15 per cent) and countrywide more than 2,000 routes or services have been lost according to the Campaign For Better Transport.

Likewise local councils have seen central government cut their budgets by up to 40 per cent and so, considering the statutory expenditure they have, there are many items under threat.

With George Osborne’s clear aim to ‘out Thatcher Thatcher’ I would suggest we ain’t seen nothing yet!

– Herbie Renfield, Longhope.