Comic Eddie Izzard backs fight for better buses

A CELEBRITY actor and comedian backed a Rotherham-born councillor in a quest to stop bus services from being cut by the Government.

Eddie Izzard, who recently starred in the film Six Minutes to Midnight, was pictured with Cllr Ben Miskell, who represents Park and Arbourthorne Ward, in Sheffield to call for better bus services.

Ms Izzard and Cllr Miskell were campaigning in the Steel city on behalf of a Labour campaign "to hold the government accountable for the state of bus services and to give South Yorkshire the bus service people deserve".

She said on social media: “The people of South Yorkshire need the buses to be back in public control.

“As Cllr Ben Miskell is saying, the buses under Labour used to be affordable and went to many destinations.

“But not under the Tories. Must be part of their levelling down program yet again.”

Cllr Miskell, who grew up in Rotherham and whose grandfather was a miner at Maltby colliery said: “As a kid growing up in Rotherham, it cost 33p to travel anywhere in South Yorkshire.

“Now it costs a fortune and Tory cuts have decimated public transport.

“Great to have Eddie Izzard supporting our campaign to stop Tory bus cuts.”

Transport secretary Grant Shapps recently announced a £130 million national pot to keep buses running, saying: “This funding will ensure millions across the country can continue to use vital bus services, and brings the total we’ve provided to the sector throughout the pandemic to almost £2 billion.

“At a time when people are worried about rising costs, it’s more important than ever we save these bus routes for the millions who rely on them for work, school and shopping.”

You can find the Labour petition here:https://tinyurl.com/Stop-Tory-Bus-Cuts.