West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin this week thanked local residents for contacting her about threatened local bus routes and praised county council chiefs who have been able to save Tenbury and Clifton-upon-Teme bus routes threatened with a complete subsidy withdrawal. The MP welcomed the latest proposals announced by Worcestershire County Council which will see many of the ‘at-risk’ bus services protected across her constituency including the 291 Tenbury service to Kidderminster and services from Clifton-upon-Teme. Harriett received many letters in support of local bus services after asking people to comment on the council proposals. She met with council leader Adrian Hardman and formally responded to the consultation on behalf of her constituents identifying critical routes that needed to be protected. Harriett commented: “I received many letters and emails from local people setting out the case to protect local bus services and I was able to pass on local views to council chiefs. “The latest proposals show that they have listened to feedback and many of the at-risk routes are being saved. “I was particularly concerned about services helping students to get to school and college from Tenbury and Clifton-upon-Teme, and the 291 bus to Kidderminster and raised these matters directly. “The council did the right thing in putting the issue out to consultation and it is clear that they were able to listen to this feedback to the bus companies to try and find a solution. “This is clear evidence of the council listening to public feedback and working with the private sector to find a solution which reduces subsidies and keeps council taxes down. “It is, however, important that local people do use their local bus services and ensure that an appropriate level of service is available to our rural communities.”