North East transport chiefs have expressed their relief after a devastating bonfire of the region’s bus services was averted.
It had been feared that the region’s bus network would be slashed by up to 20% in a matter of weeks, as leaders warned of “catastrophic” consequences for passengers if a Government relief grant was allowed to expire at the end of March. But ministers have announced a critical reprieve that will protect services for another three months at least.
The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed last Friday that it was committing another £80m to a recovery grant to help out bus operators until the end of June, while ridership numbers remain below pre-Covid levels.
