Fears of “significant” cuts to the North East’s crisis-hit bus network have not gone away, despite a £500m funding pledge from the Government.
Ministers confirmed a new cash injection on Wednesday to extend a national £2 cap on bus fares and protect essential services from the axe. But the announcement has not been enough to dispel concerns that lifeline routes in our region could soon be under threat once again.
Private bus operators in the North East slashed their mileage by 15% in 2022 and there have been warnings that further cuts of up to 20% of the remaining network could be on the horizon, with passenger levels not having recovered to pre-Covid rates. The Department for Transport (DfT) said that its latest funding would include £140m to operators to “protect essential services across England” until 2025, on top of £160m to local authorities to improve fares, services and infrastructure.
