A £130m lifeline to stave off cuts to bus services is just “another short-term sticking plaster”, a North East council leader has warned.
The government announced a significant U-turn on Friday as ministers committed to new funding to support struggling bus operators across England from October to next March. It came after northern mayors had pleaded for an extension of the funding, which has helped keep essential public transport services running after the Covid pandemic caused passenger numbers to drop substantially, and warned that a failure to do so would lead to a yet more severe cuts in the North East.
The 11th hour decision has been hailed as a “big win”, but Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon has warned that an extra six months’ worth of support will not solve the problem.
