Cuts in bus funding planned for later this year will “decimate” West Yorkshire’s bus network – according to the region’s mayor who has teamed up with South Yorkshire Mayor and other Northern politicians to demand support from the government.
During the Covid pandemic, and plummeting passenger numbers, bus services across the country were kept afloat thanks to tens of millions of pounds in Government grants.
Bus patronage has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, but Government support is expected to end in October.
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A recent report found that dozens of services in West Yorkshire will likely be scrapped or drastically reduced – such as not running on evenings or on weekends, if the funding ends as planned.
Today West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has led a call by Northern Mayors and signed a letter to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Transport, as well the the final two candidates for PM Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss.
Their letter claims the cuts will worsen the cost of living crisis by effectively ending vital services in the region. In their letter the mayors urge Government to continue with the “vital” support.
Ms Brabin, said: “These cuts will decimate our bus network, risk leaving people isolated and potentially unable to get to work or college.
“At a time when people face an extraordinary cost of living crisis, the reduction and withdrawal of bus services will seriously impact our communities, raising household bills with extra travel costs such as taxis.
“That’s why, as Northern Mayors, we’re standing together to demand Government extend this support to prevent another severe blow to local economies at a time of national crisis.”
The letter to Government says: “In each of our regions, bus operators have now notified that they intend to withdraw hundreds of bus routes resulting in many communities losing access to any form of public transport. In addition, a large number of routes will lose all services after 7pm in the evening, preventing many shift workers using bus services to travel to and from work. Over half of all bus routes will be affected in some form. And in some regions we are already seeing bus companies going out of business.
“We would urge Government to act quickly to prevent cuts to essential bus services, which will only add more hardship to those already suffering under this cost-of-living crisis.”
Ms Brabin says West Yorkshire bus operators have told her that without further support they will withdraw 26 services. In addition, 25 routes will lose all services after 7pm. Analysis has shown that over 100 local bus routes will be affected in some form.
In South Yorkshire, bus cuts could leave the region with only four buses running after 10pm. Last week Powell's Bus, which runs 26 services around the region, went bust, and although Stagecoach Yorkshire announced it would step and run some of the axed services, many staff were left out of work and passengers stranded.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has backed the letter, and has warned that the public purse in his region could be on the hook to the tune of £11 million if it wants to save all the services planned to be cut by private operators this autumn. Up to a third of South Yorkshire bus services face the axe in October, with no bus companies coming forward with bids to run many services.
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