At least 135 bus routes across England have lined up for cuts or closures this summer as councils and bus operators face falling passenger numbers, staff shortages and limitations of financing.
Changes to services include reduced frequency, fewer stops, and the cancellation of some routes. Among the proposed cuts, some of which have already been implemented, are 16 routes in London, 25 in Liverpool and about 40 in the North East.
The cuts come after bus route coverage in England fell by more than a quarter between 2012 and 2021, according to figures from the Campaign for Better Transport.
Many of the recent cuts have been attributed to the drop in passenger numbers after the pandemic, but rising costs are also a problem, while cuts in Kent are also linked to driver shortages.
Labor Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “Communities across the country have been controlled by the Conservatives. Many will not see any of the funding that the Conservatives promised to improve the surprisingly bad bus services, which means that our already unacceptable service will get worse every time. “
The government’s national bus strategy was launched in March 2021 with the promise of a £ 3bn investment, but most of that continued to support the industry through Covid. Only £ 1bn has been awarded to the regions to fund their bus service improvement plans, and more than half of the regions that submitted funding offers have received nothing.
David Renard, transport spokesman for the Association of Local Governments, said: “There is no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated existing trends in declining bus passenger numbers.
Louise Haigh. Photography: Michael Mayhew / Allstar
“Emergency government funding has helped keep buses on the road during this period. The number of passengers will take longer to return to sightings before the pandemic and without continued support, it is clear that some routes will no longer be viable. “We want to encourage greater use of public transport, and this means that the government must embark on a long-term financing plan for bus services.”
Silviya Barrett, director of policy and research for the Better Transport Campaign, said: “Both in terms of climate change and the cost of living crisis, the scope of these cuts is deeply worrying. more homes in struggle, more loneliness and exclusion, and each cut makes the bus network less viable, announcing a future of more car dependence, more traffic, more emissions.
“The government needs to curb these cuts. More funding is needed so that all local authorities can invest in more frequent bus services, cheaper fares and faster travel times.”
Further cuts are expected after government funding to support bus services during the pandemic runs out in October, with dozens of routes to West Yorkshire at risk.
A Transport Department spokesman said: “We have pledged to invest £ 3bn in bus services by 2025, to improve fares, services and infrastructure, and donated about £ 2bn. from March 2020 to bus operators and local authorities to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.
“To maximize this investment, local authorities must ensure that services are commercially sustainable and reflect the needs of passengers after the pandemic.”