Communities will soon be “cut off” from city centres and employment hubs if severe reductions to North East bus routes go ahead, a top councillor has warned.
There are fears that bus operators across the region could slash their mileage by up to 17% due to the withdrawal of a Government grant that has helped them survive the devastating impact of Covid-19.
The Bus Recovery Grant is due to cease in April and, with passenger numbers roughly 25% down on pre-Covid levels, privately-owned bus companies say the absence of that emergency funding to cover their loss in revenue will make some services unsustainable.
