I welcome a commitment from York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith to work collaboratively on restoring the Filey ‘Little Bus’ service – a vital local transport link lost to the community.
Following recent correspondence, the Mayor confirmed that work has now been commissioned to develop a business case for a replacement service. In response, I pressed for a clear timescale on when that work will be completed and reiterated the importance of including all key community voices in the process.
This service matters deeply to the people of Filey, and while I’m pleased to see some progress, it’s critical that we move quickly. I’ll continue to apply pressure where it’s needed, but I’m also committed to working constructively with the Mayor and local stakeholders to secure a long-term solution.
Restoring the bus service is not just about transport but about ensuring local communities are connected, supported and heard. To that end, I will be holding a public meeting for residents and campaigners in the coming weeks.
The Mayor's response is as follows:
"Dear Kevin,
Thank you for reaching out and apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
We are all aware that public transport across the region is not working in the service of the public. This is particularly the case in communities like Filey, who have been let down following the withdrawal of this service.
I welcome your commitment to establishing a replacement service and to working together in a collaborative way to resolve this matter. I want to be clear that I met with Labour members in Filey, as you will do with Conservative members across the country. Naturally they are incredibly invested in securing a new 'little bus' for Filey, and they raised this during the meeting. There was no effort to exclude anyone from this conversation.
It is important that the collective community come together and speak from one voice. A significant barrier to supporting the service thus far has been the lack of a business plan that has broad support from all the key stakeholders in the community.
To that end, I have commissioned support to work with all those who have an interest in restoring the service and produce a business case. Once this is completed, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how we can harness support in the community to support delivering a new bus service.
I look forward to seeing you later today.
Best wishes,
David"
