David Ruffley has called a second high level meeting on Bury St Edmunds bus services to be held at St Edmundsbury Borough Council offices in Angel Hill on Friday, 28 January at 11.00a.m. It will be attended by the following:

Dave Kaye, National Operations Director of First Group;

David Marshall, Acting Managing Director of First Eastern Counties;

Jerry Massey, Corporate Director, Economy & Environment at St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC);

Cllr Jeremy Farthing, Portfolio Holder for Environment, SEBC;

Cllr Frank Warby, Mayor of Bury St Edmunds Town Council;

Town Councillor Alan Turner;

Linda Sherer, Clerk to Bury St Edmunds Town Council;

County Councillor Julian Swainson, Portfolio Holder for Transport;

Mitchell Bradshaw, Suffolk County Council Public Transport Manager;

The meeting on Friday will assess the progress that has been made on improving local bus services since the issue was the subject of a well attended public meeting in Bury on 1 October last year. A meeting of the key players on 5 November mapped out what needed to be done and at this week's meeting First Eastern Counties, St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Suffolk County Council will report back on what has been achieved so far. A new draft Bury St Edmunds Quality Bus Partnership agreement has been prepared which sets out the obligation of the three parties to the agreement.

David said: 'I have called this second high level meeting to establish exactly what has been done since we last got together round a table in November. I am determined to achieve an improvement in the local bus services for my constituents who deserve a much more reliable and a much better quality bus service. I will be seeking assurances that better bus services will be in place at the earliest opportunity. I do not want to hear excuses about why it can't be done.'