CLAIMS that an 11th hour reprieve for a number of key bus routes in Haslemere is an election stunt have been denied by leading local Conservative figures. Local Conservatives have described comments made by prospective parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats, Simon Cordon, as "sour grapes and scare-mongering" as the issue boiled over into a political row this week. Last week, it was revealed that Conservative-run Surrey County Council had extended its funding to Stagecoach to guarantee the continuation of the number 19, 46, 70 and 71 services until September 2005. The services had been under threat following Stagecoach's decision to make cutbacks on "uneconomic" routes. However, despite welcoming the news, Mr Cordon claimed that the county council has made a U-turn on the issue in a bid to entice potential voters. "Surrey County Council has tried to suggest that they were looking at keeping the routes all along," said Mr Cordon. "(The Liberal Democrats) demand that Surrey provides the financial support to keep the routes was initially rejected. "I am suspicious that the Conservatives have agreed this U-turn simply to get past the county elections and the expected general election in May next year." And confusion reigned over the exact length of the reprieve, with Mr Cordon expressing concern that it could end by September. He argued that as result, the extensive public and political lobbying to retain the bus routes would have to start again in less than a year. But his concerns were dismissed by Surrey County Council's principal transport engineer Tracey Webb, who confirmed that the reprieve is indefinite. She added that the September deadline referred to a review which would be carried out on a number of bus contracts in Waverley. "The intention is to look at ways to improve existing services not take anything away. So we will be looking at how routes can link in with the school times, for example, so that children can arrive in time for school rather than 10 minutes late." Mr Cordon's remarks have provoked widespread condemnation from leading Conservative figures. "I don't know what this man is about," said county councillor for Haslemere, Christine Stevens. "We've had some very good news and all of this is really unnecessary. "Stagecoach worked with officers to secure the extension. All contracts are subject to review but the reprieve has been brought about by public and political pressure. "I find Mr Cordon's comments extremely disappointing." Her sentiments were echoed by prospective parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives, Jeremy Hunt, who described Mr Cordon's response as "sour grapes" and said that the Liberal Democrats should be working with the Conservatives and not scoring party political points. County councillor for Farnham South, David Munro agreed: "I deeply regret that Mr Cordon is scaremongering. His statements will cause unnecessary anxiety to those users who have told us that they are delighted with Surrey County Council's actions to keep buses running." The decision to reprieve the services was reached at a meeting of the county council executive last Tuesday. Of all the threatened routes, the potential loss of the number 19 generated the biggest outcry because it would have resulted in no bus services between Haslemere, Hindhead, Midhurst, Beacon Hill, Churt and Farnham. Mr Cordon will now press for the reinstatement of a number of evening services, which were axed last January. The number 19 evening service was axed along with the number 18 after the county council said it could not afford to subsidise operator Stagecoach's increased costs. The situation led the local representative for the National Federation of Bus Users, Marianne O'Brien, to say that it would force those without a car to "withdraw from public life completely" in the evenings. Simon Cordon said: "We can now revert back to where this all started and press for the return of some evening and weekend routes that Surrey cut last January. "That's what I shall be doing now."
