Royston Liberal Democrats

On Thursday, October the 19th, popular local County Councillor Susan van der Ven will speak about The Royston-Melbourn Pedestrian/Cycle Link: Cracking and Connecting the County Border at Coombes Community Centre, Burns Road, Royston, SG8 5PT, from 8pm-9:30pm. Please contact Carol on carol_stanier@hotmail.com for tickets, or see the event’s page on Eventbrite (follow that link).

Separated by an administrative county border, Royston and Melbourn sit in close proximity and share a great deal of travel to and fro. A safe off-road connection for walkers, cyclists and mobility scooters would be transformative to daily life.

In 2013 the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign was formed to create a Cambridge-Royston cycle route, with huge support from Royston residents. Even in the age of austerity, most of the route has now been funded or built – with the final stretch to Royston in sight. Key to success is total collaboration, and persuading the funders to see beyond administrative domains to a common cause.

The talk will be accompanied by a fish and chip, chicken and chips, or veggie burger and chips supper. Please email your choice to carol_stanier@hotmail.com or we will be unable to provide you with food on the night.

The number 26 bus, which runs between Royston and Cambridge, currently runs hourly. However, Stagecoach have apparently decided that, from January, it will run just once every two hours at off-peak times. This is because the route does not generate a significant profit, because the bus is used primarily by elderly people with bus passes.

This will obviously affect people in Royston and in the villages through which the 26 runs. A less regular service may make it harder for many villagers, including those unable to drive or unable to afford a car, to travel into the city. It may also lead to an increased number of cars being used on this route and may therefore contribute to increased traffic on the A10 and into Cambridge city centre.

See the Cambridge News story here. A local resident has created an online petition to try and stop Stagecoach from cutting the service; see here.

Our colleagues in the South Cambs LibDems will be holding their annual Quiz on the 5th December at Foxton Village Hall.  Start at 7:00pm; tickets £7.50 each (£5 for students), with ploughman’s supper included.  There will be a bar, too.

Please let Tim Stone at tim@whittlesford.plus.com know if you’re going to attend, if possible.

South Cambridgeshire Lib Dem County Councillor Susan Van de Ven is heading up a campaign to make cycling up the A10 to Cambridge safer.

The next meeting is on March 12th, at Elin Way Community Room, Meldreth, at 7:30pm. If this is an issue which affects you, do feel free to go along.

If you can’t make it, but would like to support the campaign, let Susan have your e-mail address. Her website is www.susanvandeven.com.

South Cambridgeshire Lib Dems are organising two meetings on key Lib Dem issues. Both will be open to the public.

Climate Change: A View from the Poles
With Dr Eoghan Griffin of the Scott Polar Institute, Cambridge (speaking in a personal capacity).
Date: 20 March 2013, at 7pm.
Venue: Foxton Village Hall.
With home-made supper and dessert, bar and raffle.
Tickets: £12.50.

The Case for Europe
With Sir Graham Watson MEP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament.
Date: 18 May 2013, at 12:30pm.
Venue: Foxton Village Hall.
With home-made lunch, bar and raffle.
Tickets: £15.

Contacts:
Susan van de Ven: susanvandeven@yahoo.co.uk
Tim Stone: timothy.stone1@virgin.net
Jose Hales: jose@josehales.me.uk