CHESHIRE East Council has said it will not provide funding for a later bus service in Middlewich as it does not represent ‘good value for money.’


The statement has come after Clr Mike Parsons, ward member for Middlewich at Cheshire East Council, called on the Borough Council to improve the bus service in the town.


Clr Parsons claimed that the bus service taking residents to nearby towns such as Northwich and Crewe, stopped running too early and put the town under curfew.


Cheshire East Council has responded by stating that funding a later service would not be viable.


A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said: “As a result of changes to commercially-operated bus services last year, the Council looked carefully at the costs and usage of services in the Middlewich area.


“At that time, it was not considered that a Council-supported service represented good value for money, given the relatively low number of passengers on the service.


“Cheshire East Council continually reviews bus services in the Borough and the situation in Middlewich is being monitored.


“Should there be any further change to commercially-provided services in the area, the Council will look again at bus service provision in the area.”


Clr Parsons has been pushing for an improvement to the bus service for several years and claims he is struggling to get Cheshire East Council and Arriva Bus Service together to discuss it.


Clr Parsons said: “I’ve been fighting for a better bus service ever since I got in the council but I just can’t seem to get the two parties around a table to even discuss it.


“Arriva will tell you it’s not viable and Cheshire East won’t fund it because they say it’s not needed because nobody uses the service, but nobody uses it because they don’t put on the right services so it’s the chicken and the egg.”


As well as the later service, Clr Parsons wants a different route for buses travelling through Middlewich and has come up with an alternative route, saying he will ‘push like crazy’ for it if residents choose to get behind the idea.


The route will see the bus service run from Crewe to Northwich via Warmingham Lane and King Street.


To cast your vote on proposed route on The Guardian’s online ballot, visit middlewichguardian.co.uk.