BUS-TO-BRIGG PLEA CONSIDERED

Brigg Town Council has asked for further information before deciding whether to give a donation towards the operating costs of a bus bringing potential shoppers into our town from Winterton.
Winterton Town Council is requesting a contribution towards the weekly Thursday bus service running to Brigg from April-October 2010. Brigg's obvious benefit would be a bus-load of shoppers spending their cash in local town centre businesses.
When the issue came up for consideration at last night's meeting of Brigg Town Council's policy committee, Deputy Town Mayor Coun Ben Nobbs began by proposing £500, Town Mayor Coun James Truepenny countered with £250, then a debate followed in which it became clear some members had reservations about how many people from the Winterton coach might get off at Ancholme Leisure Centre to use the facilities there, rather than actually visit Brigg businesses.
Based on previous years' Winterton-Brigg buses it was suggested 25-30 people might use the bus each week, being charged £1 return fare, with a pick-up point in Appleby.
But Coun Julian Kidd pointed out: "We don't know how many are going to the Leisure Centre or into the town. It would help if we had more definite information on how many and where they go."
Coun Jackie Brock expressed surprise at the low fares and wondered whether £1.50p return, rather than £1, would "ease the situation" financially for the bus organisers.
A request will now be made to Winterton Town Council for further figures before Brigg councillors reconsider the request for aid and make a final decision.