Councillors in Bath have spoken out against plans to cut a number of bus services across the West of England from October.
The cuts will affect regular commercial routes as well as subsidised ‘supported’ services.
They will come into effect from Saturday 8th October, despite the recent announcement of additional government funding.
Reports suggest eleven services across the West will cease operating, including:
- 5 – Downend – Bristol
- 22 – University of Bath – Twerton
- 41 – Lawrence Hill – Bristol
- 42 – Odd Down P&R – RUH
- 72, 72A – Temple Meads – UWE Frenchay
- 171, 172 – Paulton – Bath
- X2 – Bristol – Yatton
- X5 (in part) – Bristol – Weston via Portishead
- Y3 – Yate – Bristol
- Y4 – Yate – Bristol
- Y5 – Chipping Sodbury – Bristol
Bath & North East Somerset Council has no direct control over privatised bus services.
Almost all local buses are run by First West of England and overseen by the West of England Combined Authority, as the regional transport authority. Only supported services are delivered to a contract.
There will be a new bus service 47 covering the Yate, Bristol and Downend areas, and a new 379 around the Paulton, Bath, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Bristol areas.
Despite the Combined Authority offering to pay for all of the 87 ‘supported’ bus services in the region, operators decided they couldn’t run seven of them past 8th October.
This has been blamed on regional and national driver shortages.
The ‘supported’ services expected to end/ change are:
- 11 – Bathampton – Bath
- 12 – Haycombe Cemetery – Bath
- 20 – University of Bath – Twerton
- 36 – Extension of Bristol – St Annes service to Brislington with loss of service along Wick Road.
- 82 – Paulton – Radstock (Tyning)
- 96 – Hengrove – Brislington
- 178 – Radstock – Bristol
Councillor Sarah Warren, B&NES Cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel, commented: “We very much oppose these appalling cuts, which will fall most heavily on disadvantaged and isolated communities, including villages in the Somer Valley and South Bath, as well as on people trying to reach key workplaces such as the RUH.
“This is unacceptable for our residents, many of whom absolutely rely on local bus services to access shops, services, employment or education. It’s shameful that WECA and First have failed to mitigate these cuts.
“The WECA Mayor has blamed lack of drivers and passengers, but says he hopes things may improve in April next year.
“We have consistently said that a gap in service will drive people away from public transport permanently. No-one can wait six months for a bus.
“Some will be forced to buy cars; others will be forced to make significant life changes, or simply give up and stay home. There’s no guarantee these passengers will return in April.
“The Lib Dems have been campaigning to save our local services and brokered a deal to fund subsidised services. However, it’s clear the bus sector is at the point where additional money won’t help.
“I fear we are on the brink of vicious cycle of declining public transport, rising congestion and worsening air pollution – not what we need as we face a cost-of-living crisis and the Climate Emergency.
“Ultimately, we believe that the bus service system, as currently organised, is fundamentally broken. Transport authorities need the powers and ambition to directly intervene in the public transport market, either through their own wholly owned bus companies or through franchising.”
Councillor Matt McCabe, who represents Bathavon South ward, said: “Cllr Wills and I have been fighting to ensure our communities of High Littleton, Hallatrow and Marksbury remain connected to Bath and Bristol. This is a terrible decision.
“I can’t see how axing these vital services can be justified against the Equalities Act. We have young people accessing education and elderly people accessing the NHS using services such as the 178, these are ‘protected characteristics’ under the Act, and we will be raising this with First and urging them to reverse their decision. WECA Mayor Dan Norris cannot just sit back and allow this to happen.”
Wera Hobhouse MP added: “Our residents must have reliable, comprehensive and affordable bus services. But instead of viable long-term solutions, residents have faced months of service cuts and ongoing uncertainty as the West of England Combined Authority and First Bus lurch from one unacceptable ‘quick fix’ to another.
“It’s clear that the basic model of bus funding needs a complete overhaul. This is one of numerous ongoing crises being overseen and ignored by the Conservative Government, from the Climate Emergency to the escalating cost of living crisis. People are increasingly being left behind. I will take the matter up with the Secretary for Transport.”
West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “I have been concerned throughout 2022 that there would be cuts this October. Sadly, these fears are now being realised and these cuts will be disheartening and worrying for local people.
“The problem of too few drivers to staff our region’s vital bus services has gone off the Richter Scale. We are also living in unprecedented times with annual inflation in the bus industry letting rip at over 40 per cent.
“These two major challenges have come together to create the perfect storm to see commercial bus providers up-and-down the land cutting back on the services they provide.
“Even where financial support has been made available by the West of England Combined Authority or the Government to keep local buses going, operators are still unwilling to run these services as they simply don’t have the drivers to operate them.
“This is far more about bus driver shortages than cash, even though the sky-high inflation is a massive and difficult challenge. These cuts will cause real difficulty for many local people and communities right across our region.
“While the news in the short term is difficult, I hope to have better news on fares soon and later in April when the next timetable changes take place, and funding from the Bus Service Improvement Plan kicks in. Here the West of England, we have been very successful securing the second highest amount nationwide from this government fund.
“The West of England Combined Authority is looking to use more cost-effective minibuses in future over more traditional buses where this is appropriate.
“This also has the advantage that minibus drivers can be trained more quickly to fill the critical shortfall. We are already working with the bus companies to identify new drivers, and to then recruit and train them.
“However, building up a resource of new drivers takes time, and this is really something that should be co-ordinated by national government to ensure our region, and others don’t poach newly qualified staff from one another which is currently the risk of any local initiative.”
