Residents across some of western Milton Keynes’ fastest-growing communities could get better bus connections under a proposal being brought forward by Conservative Cllr Kunal Puri at Full Council on Wednesday 23rd September.
The motion calls for a new bus connection to be properly explored between Stony Stratford, Fairfields, Whitehouse, Hazeley, Oxley Park and Westcroft, following concerns from residents about the difficulty of travelling directly between communities by public transport.
The proposal comes as western Milton Keynes continues to grow, with communities including Whitehouse, Fairfields, Oxley Park, Kingsmead, and Tattenhoe Park seeing significant housing development. Despite that growth, residents continue to experience difficulties travelling directly between homes, schools, healthcare, employment, shops and leisure facilities by public transport.
Cllr Kunal Puri, who is bringing the motion, said:
“Western Milton Keynes has grown enormously, but our public transport connections have not always kept pace.
This is about a simple question: can residents get from one community to another easily without having to rely on a car?
We are not suggesting that a new bus route can simply appear overnight. We are asking for this particular connection to be properly explored, using the evidence available and working with bus operators to understand demand, cost and feasibility and whether a viable service can be delivered.”
The proposal would use the Council's existing arrangements with bus operators to explore the potential for the route and examine issues including passenger demand, route structure, frequency, operational requirements and feasibility.
The motion has subsequently been amended by the Liberal Democrat administration. The amended wording places the proposal within the Council's
wider work on the future bus network and changes the reporting commitment to an update to the relevant scrutiny committee “when appropriate”.
Cllr Shazna Muzammil, Leader of the Conservative Group, said:
“This started with a very simple ask from residents: can we have better connections between communities in western Milton Keynes?
We understand that routes have to be viable and that there are financial and operational considerations. But those are reasons to properly investigate the proposal, not reasons to lose it in a wider process.
Residents deserve a clear answer on whether a better connection between these communities can work. Western Milton Keynes has grown rapidly. The transport network needs to catch up. We will keep pushing until residents have a clear answer about what can actually be delivered.”
The motion will be considered by Milton Keynes City Council at Full Council on Wednesday 23 September.
