The long-term futures of nearly 30 bus services across West Yorkshire will likely hinge on the outcome of this week’s Budget, councillors have been told.
Treasury chiefs might unveil a bus funding package which would offer long-term stability for the industry after months of uncertainty, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA’s) director of transport has said. Operator First West Yorkshire announced a raft of service cuts and timetable changes last week, mostly affecting buses around Leeds.
If no funding emerges in this week’s budget, a further 28 or so routes are set to be either pulled or altered in some form by the company. Those services were due to have been cut next month when emergency funding from the Department of Transport (DfT) was due to expire, but a last-minute extension has given them a reprieve until the end of June.
