GoSutton Goes Political

GoSutton Bus during the TFL trial in Sutton

GoSutton, an “on demand” bus service was trialed in Sutton back in 2019 and cancelled recently in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and TFL cuts.

The service, widely explored by TFL and initiated by the Labour London Mayor, offered to pick up and drop off users within 200m of their target drop off and collection points. A particular help for disabled users and residents without suitable access to public transport.

Now, both local Liberal Democrat Councillors and Conservative MPs are locked in a battle to claim victory over who had done the most to “save” the GoSutton service despite its termination.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Manuel Abellan has said that the Conservative MP had nothing to do with the extension and that he never wrote to TFL.

Conservative MP Elliot Colburn however stated that he used every opportunity to speak to TFL and said that “perhaps if the Lib Dems got on with their day jobs, rather than making up stories, they could actually achieve something for the borough.”

Local residents, however, are left confused as to what’s happening. Sutton Insight can reveal that despite the Conservative MPs claims, his correspondence asking about the future of the bus came one day before the extension decision was actioned.

In the same vein, we can report that the local Lib Dems’ exposé article has been repeatedly updated to add in new information as their claims were rumbled. Something that truly muddies the water on this topic.

GoSutton and similar on demand bus services were established by the Labour Mayor as part of a TFL funded project. The continuity of this service has seen two local parties squabbling to claim “victory” but convieniently leaving out residents.

Pressure now needs to be applied to the Conservative MP Elliot Colburn to get his government to undo the punitive deal recently imposed on TFL which has resulted in increases to the Congestion charge and fares as well as cutting free travel for children and the elderly and reducing the rollout of projects set to help the community such as GoSutton.

Artists impression of the current tug of war!