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.
Informing council leaders of the news at a meeting of the North East Joint Transport Committee (JTC) on Tuesday, Transport North East managing director Tobyn Hughes said: “It is welcome news. We had been anticipating some very major cuts to bus services, between 10 and 20% across the region, if that funding was not renewed, so it is very welcome to hear that it will continue for at least three months.”
Were the savage reductions to bus routes in the North East to go ahead, it would mean that nearly a third of the region’s services would have been lost in the space of a year – with operators having already cut their mileage by 15% in 2022. There were warnings that the move would leave more communities cut off from public transport, after months of frustration at regular delays and cancellations amid driver shortages and industrial disputes recently.
The DfT’s announcement also confirmed that a £2 fare cap will remain in place across England until the end of June as well. That comes on top of more positive news for the North East recently, with £19.5m of Levelling Up funding having been awarded in January to deliver 52 new electric buses and 92 vehicle chargers for the region.
Gateshead Council leader and JTC chair Martin Gannon said he was in a “really positive place” after a period of serious concern for the bus network, but warned that a long-term commitment is needed to protect and improve services. He added: “That is my criticism, that it is short-termism. And that short-termism undermines public confidence in what we are doing. We are moving in the right direction in little tiny steps, but it needs to be consistent and needs to be seen as being strategic.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said last week: “Travelling by bus remains the most popular option for commuters and families across the country, but the sector is still trying to recover after the end of the pandemic. We’re providing £155 million to help passengers save money on fares, get more people on the bus and protect vital bus routes – helping with the cost of living and enabling people to get where they need to in an affordable and convenient way.”
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