28 November 2009 - City Centre demonstration highlights anger at CityBus sale.

Over 60 members of Plymouth Labour and Unite joined members of the public to demonstrate against plans by Plymouth's Conservative Council to sell CityBus. The city centre protest was organised by the Unite trade union that represents workers at CityBus.

Video report introduced by Linda Gilroy MP about today's demonstration

Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth Sutton, said: "We have 48 hours to save CityBus. I hope that some Conservative Councillors will vote with Labour on Monday and save CityBus from being sold."

Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Devonport, said: "Selling CityBus is going to cost local tax payers money, it is going to cost jobs and it is entirely wrong that local Conservatives are doing this. If they are doing this locally just imagine what they would do nationally."

Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth's Labour Group said: "From day one this process can be summed up by three words - secrets and lies. The Conservatives are trying to push through the sale of CityBus quickly and are selling the company too cheap. It is the worst deal in Plymouth's history."

Luke Pollard, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South West Devon said: "At a time when local authorities are trying to have a greater control over bus companies it seems perverse that the Tories in Plymouth are trying to give away control. This sale is bad news for people in Plympton and Plymstock and across Plymouth."

Plymouth's Labour councillors will vote to save CityBus at the crunch council vote on Monday. In order to prevent the sale of CityBus we need local Tories to vote against the plans too. We have 48 hours to lobby them to ask them to support Citybus. To find out who your local councillor is visit www.writetothem.com and enter your postcode.

Please stop the Tories from selling CityBus.