Bromsgrove Lib Dems have welcomed news that an agreement between Diamond and Worcestershire County Council has been reached to extend and reroute existing bus services to some areas affected by the loss of the 202.

However the group have criticised the extended services as inadequate for parts of north Bromsgrove affected by the loss of the 202 which have not been covered by the agreement, such as Lickey End.

Reacting to news that Worcestershire County Council has received £135,500 to spend on walking and cycling across the county, Bromsgrove Lib Dems are calling for our town to receive a fair share of the funds.

Local Lib Dem campaigner Sam Evans welcomed the additional funds for improvements, but he expressed disappointment that Worcestershire only received half of the £271,000 it bid for.

Councillors have welcomed news that Worcestershire County Council have backed a bid for an all electric bus in Bromsgrove.

Councillor Siobhan Hughes, who represents Bromsgrove Central, expressed that she was pleased with the news that will help boost the town's green credentials.

The Lib Dem councillor received cross-party support for her motion last year that saw Bromsgrove District Council declare a Climate Emergency and establish a climate change working group. In her calls to establish the group she identified the need for electric transport in the town to help make Bromsgrove carbon neutral.

Bromsgrove Lib Dems have called for public toilets in the town centre to reopen swiftly and safely in line with government advice.

The calls follow a statement from the Government last month identifying such decisions are for local councils, but the Government expressed "we strongly encourage them to open".

Bromsgrove's Lib Dem group have demanded a rethink after Conservative controlled Worcestershire County Council allowed vital local bus service the 202 to be cut.

Group Leader Cllr Rob Hunter has written to the Cabinet Member for Transport Cllr Alan Amos at Worcestershire insisting that the service must be saved.

Cllr Hunter said: "last year we secured cross party support in Bromsgrove for a commitment to tackle climate change and yet this is the second time in six months we hear of local bus services being cut. As lockdown eases people need safe, environmentally friendly ways to travel not cuts to services".

Cllr Janet King pointed out that the 202 bus is the only service which connects the residents of Old Birmingham Road and Rose Hill, Lickey with Bromsgrove town centre and access to Birmingham. She added "there is no sense at all in the proposals to divert yet more buses through Catshill. We need buses on this side of town too!"

Following an outcry from residents and frequent bus users, Lib Dem activist Samuel Evans, who authored the party's response to the council's passenger transport consultation last year, has now set up a petition to save the 202 service on the local party's website