John Bourn (Letters, 10 December) may be correct, in his response to Lynsey Hanley (The myth of a reactionary ‘red wall’ obscures the causes of the north-south divide, 8 December), to assert that millions of people in the north manage to get around without driving. However, this assertion depends on where you live. Mr Bourn lives in Gateshead, where buses may well be plentiful, but would he spare a thought for those people stranded in rural districts across the north (and elsewhere), where bus services are rudimentary or nonexistent thanks to years of underfunding and neglect resulting from deregulation?
My village could claim a rudimentary bus service until April 2019, when it was axed. There is now only one bus a day, which transports students to and from York College. There are no services at the weekend and nothing at all during holiday weeks. Despite efforts to improve service provision, campaigners are repeatedly informed that this service is sufficient for our needs.
To realise this government’s plans for a green revolution, surely we should begin by providing clean, efficient and affordable public transport across all of the country?
Judith Laity
Helperby, North Yorkshire
