Yet again Slough’s Labour run-council are showing their aptitude for getting things badly wrong – this time it’s their failed transport policies.
Only last year Labour’s own councillors raised concerns at the alarmingly low rate of take-up on their ‘Boris Bike’ scheme – with less than four people a day using the bikes. This year the council are so desperate to get people using them they are giving away access on a regular basis.
Failure doesn’t stop at two-wheels. Their SMaRT bus scheme designed to ferry commuters between the town and the Slough Trading Estate was announced in March this year by council leader Cllr. Swindlehurst to much fanfare – but less than 3 months later they were giving tickets away to residents in an attempt to boost footfall in the ailing service.
Between these two failed schemes hundreds of thousands of pounds have been wasted – not to mention thousands wasted on failed road schemes in the town over recent years. These latest giveaways at taxpayers’ expense will only add to council taxpayers’ bills.
With their future plans including the closure of the A4 Bath Road in the town centre, a park and ride scheme on green space in Colnbrook and a new tram system – residents will be left wondering how many more of Labour’s white elephants they will be left to pick up the bill for in future.
When they can’t even get regular bus services right, how can we expect them to do the right thing? Residents young and old deserve much better.
Patrick O'Connor - Slough Young Conservatives Member