SUMNERS councillors have pledged to get work together to get bus service for the area re-instated.

This follows news that Central Connect have suspended their services in the evenings and Sundays. due to

In a joint statement from the three Conservative councillors, Cllr Russell Perrin, Cllr Clive Souter & Cllr Emma Ghaffari said: “We are deeply disappointed to hear that Central Connect have had to, in part, suspended Service 1 in Harlow until further notice due to multiple acts of targeted vandalism against their vehicles.

“The fact that a bus operator feels they are unable to safely run a bus service owing to acts of violence we find extremely troubling. No evening or Sunday services for the foreseeable future will be a major inconvenience to a great number of our residents who will no doubt incur further costs in finding alternative transportation. 

We have contacted the Police and Fire Commissioner, Roger Hirst, about the situation. Roger has said he is deeply concerned by these acts of violence against Central Connect and that he will be speaking with the District Commander of Essex Police to ensure that this matter is fully investigated.

We have also been in contact with Cllr Joel Charles, the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection to see what more can be done. Cllr Charles is liaising with the Neighbourhood policing team who take these acts of vandalism very seriously.

As Cllr’s who represent the residents of Sumners we would urge Central Connect and the police to work together so that Service 1 can be reinstated as soon possible to minimise the impact on residents. We will also be jointly writing to the bus users’ group at Harlow Council to notify them of the situation and to ask that they also contact Central Connect to ask that Service 1 be reinstated.

It is vital that we all work together as a community to root out criminality. Whether you use the bus service or not, crime negatively affects all our lives.  We therefore ask that if anyone in the local community has any information about the recent acts of vandalism, they should contact the police with immediate effect.”

The portfolio holder for public protection, cllr Joel Charles discussed the subject at a public meeting held by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner on Tuesday in Harlow.

The new chief inspector for Harlow, Jenna Mirrington-French said nothing on the subject.