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Darlington
"I can't drive because I have epilepsy so the planned bus cuts will have a massive impact on my ability to get out and about to smaller historic places and to the countryside. I feel this is social exclusion based on disability." Gloria McShane
Information made available to us shows that one of the options being considered is a reduction in the number of contracts from 34 to 16. We have been told by the council that this would equate 1,786 journey miles per day and an average of 2,439 passengers per day. Changes would take place in 2012.
Following the close of the public consultation in February 2011, the cabinet of the council met to review its proposals in the light of responses and the final budget was presented to the full council on 3rd March 2011.
Better news is that changes to home-to-school provision have been put on hold because the Government has announced a national review in this area with changes coming in from April 2012. A campaign against cuts to the school bus budget is already active. The council says it is going to wait until central Government has made its position on this clear before taking these proposals forward.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Durham
The council has already announced cuts to 70 services as a result of funding reductions. In response to our freedom of information request the council told us that in 2010/11 the number of bus services that received subsidies was 126 or 20% of the bus network.
A public consultation was conducted in the autumn of 2010. The council is proposing major changes to home to school transport to save over £5.5 million. This includes taking away transport help for children over 8 who live between 2 and 3 miles from school, children going to faith schools, and children over 16.
We have also seen some media reports of commercial bus services being cut back, in particular impacting on the residents of Quarrington Hill.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Hartlepool
They also agreed to scrap the hospital bus and to cut the dial a ride taxi service. The minutes note that members ‘reluctantly accepted’ many of the proposed savings. Home to School Transport will see a cut of £50,000, resulting in a reduction in services & costs/potential income generation. Council members agreed with this proposal on the condition that the number of school buses does not decrease.
However, council officials are looking into alternative sources of funding by putting in a bid for a share of a £560 million pot of Government cash to fund sustainable transport projects –but first they want people to tell them how any money should be spent. Bids must address specific local needs, and the council plans to consult local residents to gain an understanding of their priorities.
Hartlepool MP Iain Wright presented a Parliamentary petition to the House of Commons in April 2011, to highlight the adverse effects of bus cuts to the region.
Specific bus routes affected by bus subsidy cuts include:
• Service 1: Monday to Saturday evening, and all Sunday trips are withdrawn, which ran from High Tunstall to Seaton Carew, and then onto Middlesbrough In addition, the 0550 and 0635 Monday to Friday departures from Hartlepool have been cancelled;
• Service 3: All Sunday journeys are withdrawn. There are also minor changes to a few early morning trips Monday to Saturday.
• Service 4A: All evening and Sunday buses are withdrawn, which ran from the Headland to Hart Station, has been withdrawn;
• Service 6: Sunday to Thursday evening buses are withdrawn, which ran from Clavering to Owton Manor, through the town centre, has had its evening service withdrawn;
• Service 6A:This Sunday morning service is withdrawn.
• Service 7: The Sunday to Thursday evening buses which are which ran from the Headland to Owton Manor, and was operated by Arriva on behalf of Hartlepool Borough Council are withdrawn.
• Service 518: Monday to Saturday evening buses are withdrawn.
• The 516 service, operated by Tees Valley Coaches, which ran from Tesco Extra to the villages of Elwick and Dalton Piercy, has been completely withdrawn. This means that the villages have no bus service whatsoever; residents have a 3 mile walk to amenities in the town such as doctors’ surgeries, shops or schools and colleges;
• The 527 service, operated by Arriva, which ran from Hartlepool Marina to the village of Greatham, has been withdrawn;
Last updated Nov 2011
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Middlesbrough
The number of bus services which have been withdrawn in 2011/12 is only two. A future financial review will determine if any other subsidised services are to be terminated in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
Service No 12 ended in May '11 and service 615 ended in July 201. Further the council has cut back the concessionary fares scheme to its statutory limits. However the council has maintained the Teen Mover discount for younger bus users.
The council told us that in 2010/11 they supported 14 buses or 24% of the network. In 2010/11 they spent £ 204,585 on supporting buses whereas in 2011/12 year they will only spend £162,447.
The council conducted a public consultation on its budget proposals and has now agreed the outcome, which includes cutting back the concessionary fare scheme to its statutory limits which means that bus passes cannot be used before 9.30am on weekdays. In a welcome move, however, it has been able to find £100,000 over two years to maintain the Teen Mover arrangements.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Northumberland
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 134 or 15%. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £ 2317910 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £ 2459830. However 2 services have reduced all day timetables; 681 and 689.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Source
Andrew Harding - Northumberland Council
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 1
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 2
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 3
Redcar and Cleveland
The council's consultation on budget cuts closed on 24th February 2011. Part of the proposal was to reduce the number of supported bus services as well as re-tendering other contracts, all with a view to saving up to £550,000.
There is a reduction in Department of Transport Funding for the Local Transport Plan, which was previously £10.5m over the plan. This has now been replaced with grant funding of £7.2m, meaning a net loss of £3.3m.
Number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 23 or 39% of the network.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Stockton-on-Tees
The concessionary bus pass scheme has also be reduced to the national minimum to save a further £60,000.
The council says that it has protected daytime, school and early morning services to support access to employment, education and healthcare, and so the number of routes affected predominantly focus on Sunday, evening and leisure trips. However this doesn't quite tally with the specific services listed as cut, with one daytime and 3 early morning services cut:
12 - Middlesbrough to Hurworth Daytime service hourly – service completely ceased
515 - North Tees Hospital to Ingleby Barwick - early morning service Monday to Saturday half hourly – service completely ceased
517 - Stockton to Middlesbrough via Ingleby Barwick - evening and Sunday service hourly – service completely ceased
592 - Wolviston Court Estate to Middlesbrough - evening and Sunday service hourly – service completely ceased
1 - Middlesbrough, Port Clarence, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool - early morning service operates 0550am ex-Hartlepool (Mon-Fri), 0635 (Mon-Fri) & 0814 (Sat) ex Middlesbrough ceasing – continue to run during the day
15 - Thornaby, Stockton, Ragworth, Roseworth, North Tees Hospital - early morning service operates half hourly Sundays only ceasing. Continue to run during the day
536 - Middlesbrough, Stockton, Norton, Billingham - early morning service operates hourly Sundays only – service completely ceased
Further reviews of services appear to be on the cards over the next few years as the council has to deal with further cuts.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Tyne and Wear ITA
In 2010/11 approximately 10% of bus services in Tyne & Wear are supported by Nexus through secured service contracts.
In June 2010 the authority found out that its funding from central Government was being cut by £1.607million, from £6.426 million to £4.819 million. They launched a lobbying campaign to try and minimise the cuts to their budgets, and highlighted issues particularly acute in their area - like long standing deprivation and an ageing population.
As a result of the cuts the amount spent on buses has fallen from £10230000 in 2010/11 to £ 9950000 in 2011/12.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Sources
Blackburn with Darwen
Some service cuts that have come to our attention are listed below.
Services withdrawn
223 Blackburn – Tockholes – Belmont daytimes
9/9A Lammack – Blackburn evenings and Sundays
535 Bolton – Belmont – Blackburn Sundays
563 Bolton – Edgworth evenings
1,12C,17/18 Accrington, Highercroft, Shadsworth early mornings
15A,15C Blackburn – RBH - Darwen evenings
320,321,322 Darwen rurals daily
HC2 Darwen Health Centre daytimes (diversion of other routes to be agreed)
Services reduced in frequency
12A/12C Highercroft evenings 30mins to every 60 mins
D1 Sunnyhurst daytimes reduced from 5 journeys to 2
JS2 Pothouse Tuesday daytime PM journeys reduced
220 Pleasington lunchtime journey Wed and Friday removed
7/7A, 38, 237 Edgworth, Hoddlesden, Spring Vale rationalised inc Darwen Rurals. Cost £20k
D3 Bold Venture daytimes from hourly to 2 hourly
3,4,14,17A Fenisc, S’bower, Shad eves/Sun combined to 60 mins
D2 Birch Hall mid afternoon service removed
Last updated Nov 2011
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Blackpool
Even the Conservative leader of the council, Peter Callow, said Blackpool had been hit twice as hard as many other areas. Reportedly the council is trying to lobby the Government to get more money for services.
According to the councils' Bus Strategy in their Local Transport Plan 2006-11 they were planning on introducing a new Travel2Learn card as they don’t operate youth concessions. However there is no mention of this card on their website (May 2011) so it looks like it has not come into fruition.
If you find out more about how buses specifically will be affected be sure to let us know. the Freedom of Infomation requests that we sent to Blackpool have not been replied.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Cheshire East
The council was looking to make savings of £980,000 by cutting support for children attending denominational schools and Home to School transport for post 16 students. The council are looking to introduce charges in these areas for some people. However the decision on these proposals has been deferred for one year.
Part of the agreed budget involves the council undertaking a 'Total Transport Transformation' project to establish a Cheshire East Transport Unit and save an estimated £225,000. In essence, the proposal is aimed at reviewing the way Cheshire West Council provides transport services, but what it will actually deliver is not specific yet.
What we do know is that in 2010/11 the council supported 66 local buses or 80-85% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £ 2,761,000 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £2,508,000. The council are yet to make a decision on withdrawal or reduction of services in 2011/12.
Earlier in the year there was also a proposal that would see Crewe and Macclesfield bus information centres close, saving £55,000. However in general the council tell us that the capital budget for improvements to bus provision has been increased by £50,000 in 2011/12.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Cheshire West and Chester
Subsidised bus services are being reviewed to make savings, and although the details of bus cuts are not yet clear, there have already been at least 6 journeys withdrawn.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 66, amounting to 19% of all passenger journeys.
At its meeting on 24th February 2011, the council agreed the proposed budget which included a series of measures that will create savings in public transport services.
These include:
• £268,000 withdrawn from the concessionary bus fare scheme achieved by re-negotiation of contracts but without any impact on the scheme
• £329,000 withdrawn from Home to School Transport secured by contractual and procurement efficiencies.
According to the meetings support to non-commercial, but socially necessary, bus routes will be cut by £101,000, as part of a series of Government cuts to Local Transport Services (including de-trunked roads and road safety) amounting to £1.273 million. The council response to our freedom of information request was a little less clear, but did list the following buses which will be withdrawn in the summer or autumn of 2011.
On Monday to Saturday, there will be a number of changes to very lightly used early morning and evening journey’s with the following to be withdrawn;
0650 Chester to Whitchurch
0710 Whitchurch to Malpas
1834 Malpas to Whitchurch
1850 Whitchurch to Chester
1905 Tattenhall to Malpas
1936 Malpas to Chester
Last updated Nov 2011
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Cumbria
"Cuts to bus services will reduce the mobility of people in rural areas. Some people here face losing services entirely or having them reduced to near useless levels, which will only encourage people who have cars to use them more. These cuts represent a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of public transport. In rural areas there should be continued support for bus services as the most efficient and green way of travelling." Margaret Colley
"Any visit to Penrith, our nearest town, is now reduced to Saturdays only. In the rural community we have very few services of any kind and this cut is unfair and divisive." Edith Edwards, Helton
The council has complained that the grant from Government is not enough to cover their expenditure on concessionary bus fares. This is a serious problem for many local authorities who are bound by law to pay for the free bus pass scheme. We have been told that in some cases they have had to make up the shortfall in funding by taking money out of other bus budgets.
Free concessionary fares are not available on Rural Wheels services (supported by the council), which are considered an alternative to the cut bus services. The scheme is better than nothing but not as user friendly as a regular bus. Members are only allowed up to two journeys a week between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and journeys must be booked two working days in advance.
A general consultation on cuts in the county ran throughout January 2011, and the council put forward various other transport related proposals for savings. Details of their proposed budget are available in detail on their website.
In a slightly more positive move DfT announced on 9th March 2011that Cumbria County Council will receive £288,000 as part of a settlement to enhance community transport. The funding is for one year only at this stage and has been put in place to support new and more effective ways of public transport.
Public transport assistance for Students aged 16 to 19 years is provided by way of a seat on an existing vehicle (taxi, train, private hire or public service coach), or 19p per mile if no public transport is available and a car is required (this figure has doubled from 8p per mile). To be eligible, students must be attending the nearest school or college providing their chosen course and live over 3 miles from that establishment. No means test is taken.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Halton
The council is losing 19% of its whole budget from Government. The council has reduced its support from £830,000 in 2010/11 to £702,970 in 2011/12, and 9 services have been reduced or withdrawn. This will impact on 21,000 passenger journeys per year.
Number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 40, making up 77% of the bus network.
Services changes were implemented from the end of April 2011 and more detail is in the link in the sources section.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Lancashire
"Less frequent buses to university affects my punctuality to lectures." Nicola Waring
They also told us that the supported 135 buses last year which is 59% of the bus network.
The council has found the funds to increase its contribution towards the Heysham M6 Link Road from around £4 million to £12.3 million (plus up to £6.5 million in case of overspend). This is a huge amount of money when compared to the short term, scrappy savings made by cutting buses.
Cuts to Home to School Transport of £100k will be realised through improved procurement process including route optimisation planning and procurement working practices (working with Schools).
The council currently offer a means tested scheme for pupils 16+ who attend sixth forms in schools. This scheme is currently under review for 2012/13.
A proposal for the introduction of a £2 parental contribution towards the cost of denominational transport provisionhas already been considered and agreed by the Cabinet Member for Children and Schools following a consultation process. This will be phased in from September 2011.
Further, reductions are also going to be made in the number of bus stops with timetable information from approximately 5,000 to 1,000, and in Preston, South Ribble and East Lancashire there will no longer be real time bus information on screens at bus stops. There will also be an impact on bus operators in the Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley areas who currently use the system for management control/information and radio systems. Bus priority in some places will also be lost as a result.
For full details on service cuts, see Lancashire Council source below (Annex 3, page 53-56).
Last updated Nov 2011
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Warrington
Warrington Borough Council subsidised 54 services, in part or wholly, in the 2010/11 financial year.
Currently the council is still reviewing its home to school transport provision and has not put forward any changes at this time although it is possible, subject to elected member agreement, that changes may be proposed to discretionary elements of the current provision. The support to students attending post 16 provisions outside the borough is being removed with effect from the current academic year
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Greater Manchester ITA
Transport for Greater Manchester does not foresee any reduction in bus services in 2011/12, as adequate financial provision has been secured in the most recent levy allocation to maintain currently supported services. In fact the authority tell us that their budget has increased from £22800000 in 2010/11 to £ 25400000 in 2011/12.
However on 12th January 2011 the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) held a seminar to consult on proposals for their budget in which they explained that they needed to cut £6.5 million in 2011-12 from the £30.7 million that they had spent on supporting socially necessary buses in 2010-11.
At a subsequent meeting on 28th January 2011, the Authority considered five options to manage the budget cuts. A final decision has now been made and from 3rd April 2011 will see:
• pensioners lose their bus concessions before 9.30am on weekdays. Instead of paying 80p on any journey, they will have to pay full fare. The national concessionary bus fare scheme will still operate between 9.30am and until 11pm on weekdays and at weekends
• disabled and school age passengers who currently pay 80p on any journey will now have to pay half fare
Whilst the Authority has defended the fare increases as their way of ensuring that services are not cut, questions have been raised about how meaningful the public consultation on the issue has been. Concerns have also been expressed about further changes from April 2012 when the bus operators face a 20% increase in fuel tax, announced by the government as part of their Comprehensive Spending Review.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Merseyside ITA
Howeverthe budget the authority put aside for buses actually went up from £17438000 in 2010/11, to £19432000 in 2011/12. Bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 made up 19% of the network.
Councillor Dowd has criticised what he calls ‘savage cuts’. Fares were put up in January 2011 and this is likely a sign of things to come.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Lincolnshire
Cuts of £8.32 million are impacting the council’s roads and transport budget. Bus budgets have been cut by £1 million which will mean no further funding for the "dial a ride" scheme and reductions to the supported bus services network.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in the financial year 2010/11 was 99 or 69% of the network. The amount spent on buses has reduced from £4,500,000 in 2010/11 to £3,500,000 in 2011/12.
Following a consultation Lincolnshire Council Executive have decided to almost double pupils’ annual contribution for post 16 bus transport to £296 that can be paid off in 3 termly instalments, but said it would still subsidise travel at 60%.
Residents of Lincolnshire and the Lincoln Business Improvement Group will have talks in June and July 2011 with bus operator Stagecoach, to try and discuss changes to routes 27A and 66A to cover some of the areas that would have been covered by route 44 which is among the many services across the county that have been axed.
For a full list of services that have been affected across the county, please see the Lincolnshire County Council link below.
Last updated Nov 2011
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East Riding of Yorkshire
There have been some services lost due to subsidy cuts in neighbouring authorities i.e. North Yorkshire’s reduction of evening and weekend journeys. This has sometimes led to a small saving as the legs of the larger journeys could not be replicated within the budget.
However the council tells us that there have been cuts on the commercial network and work is ongoing to ensure all villages still have some bus connections.
The coalition Government set out substantial funding reductions for local transport, this resulted in transport funding for the East Riding region being cut by nearly £3 million in 2010/11.
The council have already identified £600K savings in 09/10 from transport, with a target of £1m over the next 4 years and they plan to make savings of £7K in the transport budget in 2011/12.
£130K worth of cut-backs is being drawn back from home to school transport. The council hopes to mitigate impacts by removing duplicate routes by working with other councils, re-routing mainstream transport, school bus revenue, alternative learning funding, and withdrawal of 7 passenger assistants.
Another £45K is coming out from information, advertising, and publicity, £175K is being saved by changing concessionary fares reimbursement. £60K has been re-directed to sustain the current number of supported bus routes.
Details of which routes will be affected and by how much, have not yet been released.
Last updated Nov 2011.
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Kingston upon Hull
A survey in 2010 showed that residents of Hull listed public transport in the top four most important council services, because of benefits to the community as well as individuals.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 12, equating to 6% of the bus network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £383,000 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £342,000
The following grants are no longer available:
• Sustainable Travel grant, savings of 18k
• Extended Rights to Free Transport grant which helps poorer children get free transport, savings of 146K
Following spending cut-backs in Hull, there were reports that pensioners using their concessionary fares to travel into town on the 48 service, have been asked to ‘voluntarily’ pay up to £2.60 of the return cost of travel.
Last updated Nov 2011
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North East Lincolnshire
At its meeting on 17th February 2011 the council decided not to make any changes to the existing supported bus routes although there have been reductions in services for evenings and weekends as well as diversions on some routes. In fact there have been 47 changes to bus services in the North and North East Lincolnshire area since April 2011.
However the actual budget to support subsidised buses has increased from £157,750 in 2010/11 to £180,400 in 2011/12. The council supported 12 buses in 2010/11, or 71% of the network.
A charge of 20p per trip will be introduced for concessionary fares before 09:30am from April 2011, and this cost will increase gradually over the years to come.
The intention is to undertake a Public Transport Review, to see where further savings could be made. At this stage the terms of reference of the review have not been settled.
Last updated Nov 2011
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North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire Council has agreed to make cuts totalling £164,000 over four years to the support it provides for non-commercial, socially necessary, bus services. In 2010/11 they spent £892,289, and in 2011/12 the budget dropped to £854,820 and the same again for the provisional budget for 2012/13.
At its meeting on 23rd February 2011 the council agreed to reduce the amount they paid the opporators for carrying bus pass holders by £120,000.
In more positive news however, the council have made a bold move and decided to significantly cut the travel costs for post-16 students. This means, instead of paying £185/195 for travel passes for the academic year, they will now only pay just £30 per year, which will greatly help students, especially those living in rural areas.
Last updated Nov 2011
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North Yorkshire
"Our 128 evening bus service is to be axed under North Yorkshire County Council’s funding cuts. From April nobody will be able to travel in Ryedale after about 7pm unless they drive. What will that mean to evening workers, theatre, restaurant and pub users, teenagers and visitors who haven’t a car? All winter Sunday bus services are also to end. What chance for the car free tourism now? Do our county councillors realise the implications of what they are about to do? I think not." Eden Blyth
"North Yorkshire cuts in subsidy to all evening and Sunday buses will hit Scarborough borough hardest. Despite being rural, 30% of households have no car, wage levels are the lowest in the county, most jobs for the young are irregular hours on or just above the minimum wage and weekend working is the norm in many jobs. Those in need of health treatment are having to travel further to hospital, so yet again the poor and vulnerable are being hit hardest." Nick Harvey, Filey
There have been 38 routes affected by the council's decision to end all support for evening, Sunday and bank holiday socially necessary routes. Early morning free bus travel for bus pass holders has also been scrapped.
In 2010/11 the number of bus services that received subsidies was 253 or 20-25% of the bus network, and the council spent £6,324,303 supporting buses. The amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £5,941,100.
This cut may not be the largest in monetary terms, but because the council has chosen to take such a blunt approach, the impacts are disproportionately negative. This is an example of a broad brushstroke cut to bus services that has not been given the time and thought that is needed. Instead of looking to efficiency changes across all services, a quick and easy cut has been made that will leave people without access to a car stranded in the evenings, Sundays and bank holidays unless they live near a busy commercial route.
The idea that buses running during normal working hours are the only socially necessary services needed is flawed. All sorts of people, including health workers and the police, work shifts at all hours. The Transport Select Committee was told last week that 40% of evening bus use is work related. People without a car who live away from busy commercial routes should not have to be stuck at home every evening, Sunday and bank holiday, unable to access leisure, tourism and healthy social activities. This type of policy makes the countryside further inaccessible to people who cannot drive or do not have a car.
In announcing the decision taken on 17th February 2011, the council has tried to defend the cuts as a "subsidy reduction and not a cut in services" although they do recognise "that it may well lead to the removal of associated services." To try to avoid this possibility, the council is to continue discussions with the bus operators in an attempt to develop "innovative ways to retain a minimal service... including increasing fares..."
In Whitby bus users have been disappointed when a trial bus service was withdrawn after just 9 months.
Last updated Nov 2011
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York
The amount spent on subsidising buses in 2010/11 was £726771. The amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £68154.
Discretionary charges for transport fees for adults with learning difficulties to day care centres are set to increase from £1.80 per day to £7.00 per journey and, with several other measures it is hoped will raise £350,000.
Changes to the 'York Advertiser' by the City of York Council will affect pensioners and disabled passengers using the Park & Ride service, who will now be charged 50p for the service from July 1 2011.
Last updated Nov 2011
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South Yorkshire ITA
The Authority, which operates STPTE, subsidized 160 buses in 2010/11, which is 42% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £8784100 and the amount allocated to in 2011/12 was £7952245.
Back in the summer of 2010 the council noted that non-statutory concessions and tendered bus services were vulnerable to cuts because they are areas with ‘high’ savings potential.
The announcement of the reduction by 20% from April 2012 in Bus Services Operator Grant (BSOG), which is paid to operators, could have a potentially large impact upon operated bus services. If operators increase their fares following the loss of this grant then there is a potential impact on the councils spending on concessions. The overall value of this cut in BSOG is £2.4m in South Yorkshire.
They also suggested an impact of over 13% reduction in their revenue income by 2014/15, based on estimated cuts to the levy and grants for concessionary fares, rural bus subsidy and special rail.
The cost of a single child fare will increase from 40p to 70p from 2011-2013.
Last updated Nov 2011
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West Yorkshire ITA
West Yorkshire ITA operate the PTE called Metro. Over the three financial years starting in 2011/12, Metro will undertake a rolling area based review of tendered bus services with a target to reduce expenditure by 25%. Metro tell us that they will no longer support early morning, evening and Sunday journeys on “core” high frequency services and it is anticipated that operators will continue to provide a large number of these trips on a commercial basis. They also say that a value for money appraisal will be given to all of the other supported services. The tell us that area reviews will incorporate public consultation and it is envisaged that in many cases, poorly used services will not be replaced on a like for like basis but a cheaper alternative may be proposed.
However from 2010/11 to 2011/12 the budget stayed exactly the same.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Leicester
The council supported 20 buses in 2010/11, amounting to 33% of the bus network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £1,010,000, and in 2011/12 that was reduced to £500,000.
The council's budget proposals were agreed at their meeting on 23rd February 2011. Press reports prior to the council meeting suggested that there had been a modest re-think in the original proposal to cut £565,000 from the support provided to bus routes.
The council has agreed to implement:
• £500,000 cut from support to socially necessary bus services which could see the loss of up to 29 bus routes;
• Increased fares for children on supported school bus fares;
• Scrapping of Star Trek bus passenger information system that gives 'next bus' information.
The full budget proposals are downloadable from the website, and changes on First Group buses are also available from the link in the sources section (however it is not clear how many of these are as a result of council funding cuts).
Last updated Nov 2011
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Leicestershire
The number of bus services that received subsidies in the financial year 2010/11 was 86, or 15% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £2,834,795 and in2011/12 it will be £2,900,990.
Funding cuts of £170,000 for home to school transport will be postponed until summer 2012, to give parents and pupils more time to make alternative arrangements where services may be withdrawn, or at least cut back to the statutory minimum. To be entitled to subsidised transport, post-16 learners enrolling academic year beginning 2011, will be charged a flat rate of £240.
The council also plans to save taxi vouchers and half-fare community transport for concessionary travel scheme members. For example, from April people over 60 will no longer be allowed to travel for free before 9.30am.
It appears that some services are being cut or reduced so that they do not run after about 6pm each day. As noted by The Hinckley Times, 5 bus routes (numbers 71, 75, 76, 81 and 82) that currently serve Hinckley, Burbage, Barwell and Earl Shilton are to be axed. Below is a list of bus services that are being modified or scrapped, and which normally run between Leicester City and regions across Leicestershire. As both areas are covered by separate Councils, it is difficult to know which Council’s budget decision is responsible for these bus cuts.
The services in and around Leicestershire that are being modified or scrapped from 27 March 2011 are listed in the source below.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Northamptonshire
“These cuts are absolutely devastating, people just don’t realise how many buses in the county will be affected. The quality of life for many people will be drastically reduced unless alternatives can be found.” Michael Barlow
"The cuts for me will make matters worse as the bus service is bad at night now. I dread to think what it will be like when the cuts kick in in November. Last year I had to walk home from work in Kettering to Higham Ferrers, a distance of some 12 to 14 miles and all because the last bus went at 19 07 hours." David Gater
"Being retired and the cost of running a car becoming prohibitive, we had planned to use both services with our bus passes. Residents who currently use the services have stated at a public meeting, that if they disappear they will have to sell up and move into town." Peter Quincey, Kettering
"The cuts are totally unreasonable for those who live in villages, like myself, and the council should have been fair and perhaps reduced some of the buses than cut them altogether. I for one am outraged that they have left villagers stranded." Nikki Deller, Hartwell
The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £3,139,000 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 is £1,850,000. This will go down to £1,000,000 in the following years. The council is making positive noises about delivering public transport through new kinds of demand responsive services. However the scale of the bus cuts in the county mean that this seems unrealistic. As bus users losing their services know too well, an affordable, regular public bus should not be undervalued.
Additional savings of £600,000 by reducing the provision of concessionary bus travel to the statutory minimum scheme of 09:30 to 23:00, Monday to Friday (no change to weekends or bank holidays). Tokens formerly issued by district councils for travel before 09:30 will be withdrawn.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Nottingham
In 2011/12 the budget for supported bus services is expected to be £2.0m. In 2012/13 it is expected to be £2.14m. In 2013/14 it is expected to be £2.25m. The council support 26 buses or 21% of the bus network.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Nottinghamshire
In 2011/12 the budget for supported bus services is expected to be £2.0m. In 2012/13 it is expected to be £2.14m. In 2013/14 it is expected to be £2.25m. The council support 26 buses or 21% of the bus network.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Rutland
Earlier in 2011 the council ran a consultation that has now ended, on specific proposals including the following cuts to buses:
• Stop running the 20 service between Oakham and villages.
• Introduce a 9.30am to 11.00pm time limit for concessionary travel, putting the provision at the level of the statutory minimum.
• Withdraw travel tokens. Disabled members of the community who live in areas outside ‘Call Connect scheme’ will retain travel tokens.
In more positive news Rutland Council operates a 'Travel Aid Scheme' - a pass for people who are resident in Rutland and registered unemployed (signing on at an Employment Service Jobcentre). A pass lasts 4 weeks and entitles the holder to travel by bus at half the normal adult fare.
Also, a Cabinet report of 2010/11 recommended an increase in the Home to School Transport budget of £61,600 for this following year due to an increase in demand for this service. It is unclear whether this will be implemented.
Last Updated Nov 2011
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Luton
Number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 17 or 34% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £300,500 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £332,300.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Derby
These cuts will mean that more than 27,000 passenger bus journeys are lost each year. Also the b-line2 bus pass for young people now only provides a 33% discount, rather than the original 50% discount.If you have any updates in your local area, please get in touch.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Derbyshire
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 163, that is 15% of the network.
It has been agreed to cut the public transport budget by £1.2m. This will include service cuts to tendered services (evening, Sunday and rural services were specifically consulted on early in 2011), and potential cuts to Community Transport services. The exact amount to be saved from these routes is not yet known.
The withdrawal of dedicated subsidised school buses for students who live closer than 2 or 3 miles from school (depending on their age) will take place from the start of the summer term in April 2012. Post 16 learners gain reduced cost travel through Derbyshire County Council's b_line concessionary travel scheme, until they reach the age of 19. Up until 1st August 2011 a b_line 2 card provided a half fare travel concession.
Since 1 August 2011 a b_line 2 card provides a concession of a third off the normal adult fare. In the summer of 2011 the council reviewed the transport policy for children and young persons, including post 16.
In another consultation, the council asked for views on reducing the production of travel and transport information.
Although the impending bus cuts will have negative impacts, this council’s process for consultation should be applauded; providing they take the views of the public into account when they make their decisions.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Herefordshire
The council decided to reduce its budget for bus services from £1880000 in 2010/11 to £1616000 in 2011/12. We do not at the moment have information on the way that the cut to the budget has impacted on the county’s bus network.
We do know that the weekday hours that Concessionary Passes can be used have now changed to 0930 - 2300 Mondays to Fridays, but weekends and public holidays remain unchanged.
At its meeting on 4th February 2011 the council agreed to cuts of £46,000 to the budget for school's transport and discretionary 16 + transport contribution. We have no details of what this will mean at present but if you know something that we don't, please contact us.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Shropshire
The original consultation document stated that if the Bus Strategy for Shropshire is accepted at the 11th May 2011 cabinet meeting, over £1 million could be withdrawn in total.
The council’s new bus strategy was open for consultation until the 21st of March 2011and proposed reduced frequencies on many routes within and between towns as well as reducing the concessionary fare scheme to the minimum of 9.30am to 11pm Monday to Friday.
The full Bus Strategy for Shropshire Consultation document is below in Sources.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Staffordshire
The council spent £3,600,000 on buses in 2010/11 and this level of support stayed the same in 2011/12. The council subsidises 168 buses or 20% of the bus network.
The council also introduced two new schemes for bus travel:
• ‘Your Staffordshire Card’ for people aged under 20 which charge £1 for any journey starting in Staffordshire. The council has stressed that the success of the scheme depends on the take up by people eligible to use it;
• 24/7 travel for pensioners and disabled people and free travel for a "buddy" if there is a need to be accompanied for health reasons.
In less positive news, a £65 million project to bring shuttle buses to North Staffordshire was shelved in June 2010 because of Government cuts.
Operator Arriva Midlands said that they have had to overhaul services in the region because local government will cut up to 20 per cent from concessionary fare reimbursements to bus operators from April. This cut is the knock on effect of a central government funding cut.
In Staffordshire alone, £1 million of support for business will be lost, whilst it's £500,000 in Leicestershire and a similar sum in Derbyshire.
However the changes would include the introduction of some new services and Arriva say it will ensure it continues to provide a regular, reliable and robust network.
Last updated November 2011
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Stoke-on-Trent
At its meeting on 24th March 2011 the council faced a storm of protest from a large number of members of the public over cuts to bus services. Petitions were handed in with at least 400 signatures in support of the retention of several routes.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Telford and Wrekin
The number of bus services that received subsidies in the financial year 2010/11 was 14 or 13% of the bus network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £566,822 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £569,535.
Number of bus services that will be reduced or withdrawn is only one. However the council has stated it is difficult to predict the extent of further reductions or withdrawals and that it is likely that in subsequent years that there will be changes to bus services.
The council has withdrawn the ring and ride ‘Twister service’. On concessionary travel, free bus use for bus pass holders will be taken back to 9.30am, the statutory minimum.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Warwickshire
At its meeting on 15th February 2011, the council voted to adopt a series of cuts to the provision of supported public transport by:
• Reducing the bus network serving Coleshill Parkway and Birmingham International
• Cutting all subsidised evening bus services, saving a cumulative £450,000 a year for three years (representing a £1.6 million reduction from the £2.9 million budget)
• Withdrawing aid for faith school transport. Assistance will only be provided if the denominational school is the nearest school or is in respect of a low income family. This provision will save £700,000 by 2017
Originally, the council had also agreed to stop all bespoke community transport (other than ‘flexibus’), saving £114,000 in 2011-12 and £198,000 in the following two years. The good news is that the council has now received grant funding that will see community transport continue to be provided for another year.
Following one of two separate consultations that began in January (both closed 18th February 2011), the council's Cabinet at its meeting on 14th April decided to:
• Take on board some of the concerns expressed about Post 16 Home to College transport and accept a modified proposal
• Approve the Home to School policy that will see savings of £700,000 by withdrawing many of the passenger assistants as well as increasing charges for vacant seats
But there is some good news; new government money means minibus services have been saved. The documents considered by the Cabinet appear in Resources below.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Sources
Warwickshire County Council Budget
Warwickshire County Council Denominational Transport Statement
Warwickshire County Council Bus Service Changes
Warwickshire County Council Community Transport Announcement
Warwickshire County Council Cabinet Report - Post 16 Home to College Transport
Warwickshire County Council Cabinet Report - Home to School Transport
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 1
Worcestershire
“My 85 year old dad is liable to lose the only bus service he relies on three or four times a week, yet will have a free pass to go nowhere. Councils are required by law to provide free travel, but not the actual transport.” Dan Alliband, Redditch
Supported bus services enable 4.6 million passenger journeys per annum and the council in 2010/11 supported 220 or 25% of buses in the county. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £5550,519 and the amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £4421590.
A consultation on the cuts ran until 4 April 2011 and received 2,500 returned questionnaires, 100 written responses and 24 petitions from across the county. The council has stated that the clear response from the consultation is that people would prefer a reduction in service frequencies wherever possible, rather than a complete withdrawal.
There are also reductions in the order of £1.45 million are proposed to the provision of Home to School Transport.
Worcestershire County Council wants to increase the cost of school bus passes for post-16s by nearly £300 or by 54 per cent. Parents with children aged 16 to 18 would have to fork out £842 a year, many people plan to tell the council that this is not fair.
About 120 people went to a public meeting in Pershore to discuss possible changes to concessionary bus travel.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Sources
Worcester Council - public transport review
Worcester Council - potentialy affected bus services
Worcester Council Transport Reviews
Worcester News-Post 16 travel pass
Worcester Council - Final Consultation on Reducing Subsidised Bus Services
Worcester Council Consultation on Home to School Transport
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West Midlands ITA
No details of any effects on services have been made available at this stage but the Birmingham Post has reported that the cuts will be met by making operators more competitive in the bidding process for subsidised buses.
No changes are proposed to concessionary fares for bus users. No changes are proposed in terms of child concessions. In July 2011 Centro supported wholly or partially 395 bus services via 425 contracts.
In 2011/12 cuts in the order of £900,000 were made to the budget of £12.1 million devoted to the Ring and Ride service for elderly people. Following a ballot of the 30,000 users, 90% of those taking part opted for proposals in favour of charges, with the majority preferring the option to pay 60p for a single fare, rather than a complete withdrawal of services. The 60p single fare has now been endorsed by the members of the Integrated Transport Authority.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Bedford
The percentage of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 30%, and the amount spent on supporting buses was £1,008,484. The amount allocated to buses in 2011/12 was £1,026,537.
Following public consultation, at its meeting on 19th January 2011 the council's executive adopted a revenue budget for 2011-12 that included:
• The re-tendering of home to school transport contracts, the re-classification of unsafe routes and changes to a concessionary fare scheme for poorer families with school age children, will bring in a saving of £292,000 per annum.
• The revision and/or re-tendering of supported bus networks to achieve annual savings of £155,000 per annum. The council believe that by reviewing vehicle types and working rural supported services to link with inter urban bus services as well as considering passenger needs alongside the location of facilities that they may wish to travel to, the council envisages that they will be able to provide a similar or indeed a more comprehensive supported network.
• Freezing price increases for supported buses which will save £10,000 per annum and have little impact on services initially but could eventually lead to increased tender price returns.
• Review the provision of community transport (Door to Door) service through an integrated approach to the service delivery which will save £20,000 per annum.
The budget was agreed by Bedford Borough Council at its meet on 2nd February 2011.
The council have been in the process of reviewing and retendering their buses and it sounds like passengers have been protected, which is great news.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Cambridgeshire
"Losing all evening services from Cambridge means my husband won't be able to get the bus home from work. There is no alternative as we do not have a train station and we share a car. I have no idea how he will get home from work now, aside from me driving back into Cambridge to pick him up which will use twice as much petrol and take an hour of my evening up." Sarah Chipendo, Burwell
"If the only alternative to the bus is to get a car out, it will not be worth shopping in Cambridge. Better to drive to Ely where the parking and goods are cheaper to make up for the petrol cost." Yvonne Gooding
Cambridgeshire County Council originally proposed to take £2.7 million out of the bus network, by phasing out all subsidised bus services. Already 16 bus services have been reduced or withdrawn. In a positive move, the council have agreed to review their plans, including thinking about those 16 buses that have already lost funding. Read more about this is the busesblog in the sources below.
We supported Jo Green with a legal challenge against bus cuts across many rural areas of the county. We, like Jo, had serious concerns that the council has failed to deliver on its legally binding duties to provide appropriate public transport and to take due regard of the needs of particularly vulnerable user groups through detailed impact assessments and proper public consultation. Vitally, these have to happen at a stage when the decision can actually be influenced. The case of Cambridgeshire County Council is a warning shot for authorities who may be making similar decisions.
The phasing out of socially necessary non-commercial bus services will seriously disadvantage many people who use those buses, a fact that is known to the authority from their impact assessments. This U-turn is a great sign, and shows the efforts of Save Our Buses and local campaigners have really paid off.
The council believe that providing community transport schemes will help some of those who may be disadvantaged. There will be 1 million over 5 years to support community transport. Council chiefs agreed on 5th April to bid for £4.981 million from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
Also the council has decided to withdraw home-to-school funding for more than 500 children with special educational needs.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Central Bedfordshire
"Service cuts where I live in Dunstable will result in longer walks from the town centre supermarket to the nearest bus stop following re-routing and reduced frequency. In addition, early morning and evening services are being curtailed. If you happen to live outside the town centre as I do and want to travel back after 6.30pm you are now more reliant on taxis or friends offering a lift. The worry is that Central Beds Council may well be looking to make further savings in the following year. One particular grievance I have with the council is their failure to recognise that the majority of local bus users in my area are elderly and do not have internet access. All the more reason therefore to publish in printed form the list of impending cuts rather than just on the council website: this they have failed to do." Dunstable, Chris Kennett
"I don't have a car and rely on the bus so I am very concerned about the proposed changes about which there has been no consultation with the public or bus users."Jonathan Maddock, Leighton Buzzard
Cuts of £400,000 have impacted on the support for 27 specific bus services. There have also been restrictions on the use of concessionary bus passes and a requirement for pass holders using dial-a-ride services to make a £1.50 contribution per trip.
Following public consultation against the background of reductions in support for bus services, the council published its Local Bus Services and Community Transport Interim Support Strategy, on 8 December 2010. The headlines were:
Direct financial savings (circa £540,000 annually) will be gained with the following proposed actions:
* Restrictions to the use of concessionary bus pass to the statutory minimum of 09.30am Mondays to Fridays, apart from disabled pass holders (saving £60,000 annually);
* Concessionary pass holders using dial-a-ride services be asked to make a £1.50 contribution per trip (saving £80,000 annually);
* Withdrawal of support for specific contracted bus services (saving £400,000 annually).
The Strategy also states that:
* The community transport sector in Central Bedfordshire will be developed by a recommended annual investment of £100,000;
* Investigation of the business case for introducing a taxi-based service for designated rural communities;
* Dial-a-ride services to be safeguarded with grant funding being maintained at its current level.
In coming to their conclusion, the Equality Impact Assessment recognised that:
“In this case, the groups most disproportionately affected will be women, children, older people and disabled people. The disadvantages will be mitigated to an extent by the extension of community transport services which will certainly benefit older and disabled people and which will provide a service for critical journeys (mostly health), and particularly isolated individuals. There are already some community transport services that specifically benefit children and young people in Central Bedfordshire, but there is a requirement that more should be done in future for this group, particularly to enable independent access to evening and weekend activities – bus service links are already poor in this respect. The group that will experience the most relative disadvantage from the proposed changes is likely to be women. Whilst some mitigating actions can be taken, this group is too heterogonous to provide for with general solutions.”
The council published a list of services that will either be withdrawn or changed with effect from 28th March 2011. Please see Sources below.
Further, the council is looking to engage in a consultation process to review proposals for the Post 16 Transport Policy. The council is seeking to change the details of the eligibility criteria, which is likely to affect how distance and/or course content criteria are assessed. The results of the consultation will be made available after 12 July 2011, and changes would be implemented in September 2012.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Sources
Central Bedfordshire Council - transport support scrutiny
Central Bedfordshire Council - transport support decision
Central Bedfordshire - Bus Service Changes
Central Bedfordshire Council - Home-to-School Transport
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 1
Essex
"Services are already very poor outside of peak times so any further cuts will leave people even more isolated." Steve Abrahall
The council in their Freedom of Information request list all of the services affected and state if there are alternative transport options.
There is some good news, as campaigners in Daws Heath, have successfully petitioned to keep the No. 24 bus service that runs through the village, and is funded by Essex County Council.
Following completion of a consultation process the council have discontinued the provision of free home to school transport for those children attending faith schools. Those children already entitled to transport will continue to receive the entitlement until completion of their secondary education.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Hertfordshire
"Cuts to the H19/20 Bus will restrict the amount one can get to supermarket, town centre, etc, as the only other option is a walk of a mile and a half down a road without pavements and a hill, which with osteoarthritis is not really an option." David Nursaw
However an article in transport extra tells a slightly different story, stating that the council spent £7.6m on bus services in 2010/11 but has already cut this by £2.1m.
We were told in the summer of 2011 that further cuts were still a matter for discussion.
There are also reports of a commercial bus cut because of rising costs, which will impact on access to a West Hertfordshire college.
Last updated Feb 2012
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Norfolk
"I live in a rural area and there are no buses after 6pm. If you need to go out in the evening you have to take a car. I would love to see bus services run more often, especially in these small villages." Sonia Williams
Almost 200 bus routes were reviewed and, following discussions with public transport providers. The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 178 or 30% of the network.
The council has been driving forward a campaign because of an £4.5m shortfall in funding for the concessionary pass scheme - which allows pass holders to travel free on buses. The lack of adequate funds from the Government is putting huge pressure on maintaining rural bus services.
Despite slashing bus support, Norfolk County Council has found £1.7 million to spend next year to push through road building around the north-east of the city; a road which has no guarantee of central Government funding and may never get built.
The following site in eth sources below explains the efforts of the Norfolk based campaign group for accessible education, which helped to change the council’s decision on the travel subsidy for post 16 travel.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Peterborough
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 18 or 56% of the network.The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 and in 2011/12 remained the same £1,011,922.
The City Council undertook a consultation on its Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy in 2011, within which there were proposals to reduce or to completely withdraw funding for bus services used by children and young people, including to Arthur Mellows Village College and Denominational Schools.
Home to school transport is being reviewed. The specific details being proposed are as follows:
• Review of Bus Services to Arthur Mellows Village College, saving £120,000 of £575,000
• Review of Safe Walking Routes for children going to school, saving £34,00
• Removal of remaining denominational transport, saving £187,000
• Withdraw free transport for young people in education over 16 who have medical or special educational needs and replace it with charges of £300 a year, in line with other families. Each child will be charged (not each family) although charges will be halved for families in receipt of benefits and who currently get free transport. This will save £12,000
• Limit post 16 transport to a 30 mile radius from home, saving £3,000
• Removal of discretion on primary transport by increasing the qualifying safe “home to school” walking distance from two to three miles for those in Years 5 and 6 (age 9 to 11). There are no immediate savings identified but further requests for transport would be limited
• Offering cycles (and helmets) instead of bus passes which is judged to be cheaper than bus passes. No savings data is available until the scheme is running.
The consultation also asked respondents to express a view about Bus Service Realignment but the Budget Consultation document makes no proposals in this area.
Responses to individual's concerns raised in the consultation are available online (see sources below).
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Southend-on-Sea
Concessionary Pass times will remain at 9.00am-midnight Monday to Friday and anytime weekends and public holidays.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Suffolk
"The Explore card is to be stopped; it will affect both my children. My daughter who has autism has been travelling on the bus to town and other areas with carers, as a plan to help her get the confidence to be able to travel; this is a very important step for her. My son who also has learning difficulties is at college and relies on the bus with his Explore card to get in and out of town; this is a lifeline to them as well as many more young people." Isabel
To implement the funding reduction, the council initially published a list of 93 subsidised routes that were at risk of being cut. This year 45 buses have been reduced or withdrawn. The number of bus services that received subsidies before these changes was 117 or 41% of all routes.
Suffolk County Council's budget for 2011-12 was decided at a meeting on 17th February 2011 but press reports ahead of the event described how bus operators have agreed to take on running some of the threatened supported services. The council believes the money they save by switching to commercial routes can be used to support other threatened services.
Routes that will now be run commercially are:
- Bury St Edmunds to Stowmarket
- Ipswich to Colchester/South Suffolk
- Bury St Edmunds to Haverhill
- Ipswich to Bildeston (Service 111)
- Bury St Edmunds to Clare
- Brandon to Bury St Edmunds
- Bury St Edmunds to Mildenhall
A list of services appear in Sources below with some more information.
To cushion the blow, a Demand Responsive Transport system called Suffolk Links has been introduced. This works to connect passengers in rural services who have been affected by service cuts by offering an on-demand scheme which charges the same fares as buses, and assists to connect the individual to services that normally run across Suffolk.
The council have decided to cut £1.7 million by abolishing the Explore Card will impact young people. The council has also decided to press ahead with its plans to scrap its half price bus fares scheme for 5 to 20 year olds from 1st April 2011, therefore passing additional costs to families as well as, in some cases, restricting choices about educational opportunities.
A local newspaper has published some of the responses to cuts to the half-price travel subsidy for post-16 students and young people, where a petition of thousands of people across Suffolk sought to overturn the council decision. Local campaigners believe that the petition and the campaign was simply ignored.
Also reprioritisation of budgets for 2010/11 and 2011/12 have lead to the postponement of the roll out of RTPI (Real Time Passenger Information) in Bury St Edmunds and west Suffolk. The value of the scheme was circa £900k.
In addition to these cuts, the council is also planning to cut:
• £706,000 from its Home to School transport provision
• £150,000 by closing the Bury Road Park & Ride
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Thurrock
No detailed information is available yet, but it’s expected there will be “reduced or no service provision in some areas”. The council’s Local Transport Implementation Plan is seeking to mitigate some of the impact of the cuts.
Save our Buses know of two bus services that have been axed by private bus operator, First East of England. However measures have been put in place to accommodate new times and services on other routes. It's not clear whether these cuts are because of spending cuts to the buses budget or low passenger numbers, if you have more details of spending cuts in the Thurrock area, do get in contact.
Before these cuts the council subsidised 6 buses or 35% of all routes.
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Kent
In 2010/11 the council supported 19 buses in the county, or 79% of the network. In 2010/11 £498,502 was spent supporting buses, and in 2011/12 this was reduced to £414,375.
The council's medium term financial plan talks of cutting £629,000 from the budget for socially necessary and non-commercial buses.
Further, by changing the support for public transport concessions they also hope to save £1million, meaning no free bus journeys for bus pass holders before 9.30am and the cost of a ‘freedom bus pass’ for young people would double to £100. The ‘freedom bus pass’ has been a hugely popular and successful scheme, which should be applauded. It is therefore a real shame that the council has looked to this scheme to find savings.
There is also a separate petition running to extend the Freedom pass to 16-20 year old students, this is a bold move by the students in Kent who are concerned about the impact of cuts made by Kent County Council. The petition needs 12,000 signatures to enable a full council debate, if you want to sign up, click here: Kent E-Petition
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Medway
The council supports 26 contracts for buses, mostly for early morning, evenings and Sunday services. These contracts carry a total of 194,392 passengers per annum. The Freedom Pass is an extension of a great scheme in Kent that allows young people who buy the pass free bus travel. Medway council allocated of £250,000 in the budget towards the scheme.
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Source
Milton Keynes
In addition £289,000 could come out of the concessionary fares budget, meaning the usage of senior bus passes would be restricted to the statutory minimum (i.e. off-peak bus journeys only).
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Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet has had to make savings of £119 million of savings between April 2011 and April 2015. The council ran a ‘big debate’ consultation on plans for cuts, including proposals to make a £2 million cut to bus subsidies.
However, they hope in the short term that the renegotiation of contracts with operators will result in some supported services being run in the future on a commercial basis and thus softening the blow.
A consultation period also ran from 11 April – 3 June 2011 to review how cuts to Subsidised Bus Services in the Wantage and Faringdon. The council has told us that this year only 6 bus services have been withdrawn or reduced.
Oxfordshire has the highest patronage of any shire county for its bus services. The council has already conducted a survey to get the public’s view on which bus services will be cut. The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was139.
The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was 4,366,433 and this dropped to £4,230,000 in 2011/12.
Bus operator, Thames Travel says it has had to make major changes to two Oxford bus services; the 101 Watlington-Oxford and 106 Wallingford – Kassam – Oxford Science Park – Oxford, the changes will be effective from June 6. Thames Travel says this is because of cut-back to the subsidised travel grant offered by the council, which will save them £130,000 per annum.
There have also been a series of changes to subsidised services in the Wheatley, Thame & Watlington area, 4 routes have been withdrawn, please click here for full list: Oxford County Council - Summary of Bus Changes. These changes were effective from Sunday 5th June 2011.
The council has agreed to maintain the concessionary bus pass use across Oxfordshire from 9am weekdays, and all day weekends until March 2012.
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Portsmouth
The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £701,740 and this dropped to £615,852 in 2011/12.
Bus operator, First Group reports that as a direct result of spending cuts made by the council, substantial bus service cuts have been in place since 15 May 2011. The changes affect evening, weekend and bank holiday services on the following First routes in East Hampshire: 1/1C, 3, 5A, 6, 12, 40 AND 41. For more details in the Portsmouth area, please follow this link: First Group - Service Changes
To account for changes in their operating costs, First have also had to increase certain single fares by between 10p and 20p, whilst child single and return fares will increase by 10p.
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Reading
The council has told us that in 2010/11 it only supported one bus and that spending on subsidized buses froze at £60,000 between 2010/11 and 2011/12.
According to the Reading Chronicle in September 2010 the council did spend £435,000 a year to help fund bus services, but in 2010 it looked to make savings by cutting back on weekday buses. Reports explained that there would be fewer off-peak buses and various night routes will be shortened.
Since former councillor Chris Goodall complained to the Local Government Ombudusman about changes to the times bus passes can be used (since April 2011 only after 9.30am) the council has made a U turn. Evening services are to be free again for elderly and disabled bus pass holders. ‘Get Reading’ reported on the debate around this issue.
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Slough
The council has told us that in 2010/11 is supported 19 buses or 74% of the network. Two evening journeys on route 74 on Sundays have been withdrawn in 2011.
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Southampton
At a meeting on 16th February 2011, the council agreed a reduction in the support it gives to bus services.In addition, support is being reduced for dial-a-ride and night marshals, following declines in patronage.These cuts will save the local authority £500,000 over three years. As a result the number 14 serviceis withdrawn whilst there could also be withdrawal of or reduced services on the 8/8A, 5 (Sundays), 7A routes as well as on some (unspecified) night buses.
Further, Bus operator, First Group have said that as a direct result of council subsidy cuts to commercially unviable yet socially necessary routes the following routes have been affected.
All changes in Southampton have been effective since 12th June 2011:
Service 5 (Southampton City Centre - Lord's Hill - Southampton City Centre via General Hospital): Southampton City Council has withdrawn its support for all Service 5 journeys on Sundays and Public Holidays. This means that no buses will operate on Service 5 on Sundays from 12 June. As an alternative though, customers will still be able to use Services 4, 10/10A or 17A to reach the General Hospital and Lords Hill on Sundays. Similarly customers wishing to travel to Upper Shirley will be able to use Service 4.
Service 7/7A (City Centre - Swaythling - Bassett Green - Aldermoor - General Hospital - Shirley): Southampton City Council has withdrawn its support for the off-peak extension to Service 7, ie that section of the route known as Service 7A which operates between Bassett Green and Tesco Millbrook. This means that throughout the day Service 7 buses will only run between the City Centre, Portswood, Swaytlhing and Bassett Green. Those people wishing to travel to the General Hospital or Millbrook are advised to change buses in the City Centre picking up one of the many frequent services that operate to and from these destinations.
Service 8 (Townhill - Midanbury - City Centre - Lordshill): Southampton City Council has withdrawn its support for evening journeys on Service 8. This means that from 12 June no buses will run on Service 8 after 2000 hours. In addition the route of buses on Sundays is changing; from 12 June buses on Sundays will no longer operate to and from Chartwell Green terminating instead at Townhill Park.
Service 21 (RSH Hospital - Southampton City Centre - Shirley - Lordswood - Lordshill - Nursling via Freemantle - Upper Shirley - General Hospital): The timetable and the route of Service 21, which is operated by First under contract to Southampton City Council, is being altered slightly from 12 June. Specifically the timetable has been changed to improve the punctuality of services. The route change means that Service 21 buses will no longer serve Hillyfields. Customers in Hillyfields will, however, still be able to use Service 17 (City Centre - Millbrook - Lordshill via Southampton Central Station, Shirley and Adanac Park) should they wish to do so from Adanac Park.
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Surrey
The council has told us that in 2010/11 they supported with subsidy 160 buses or 80% of the network. They did not reduce the bus support budget from 2010/11 to 2011/12, however 17 buses have been lost or reduced as a result of the budget cuts.
They ran a three-month public consultation from Monday 1 November 2010 to Monday 31 January 2011 on the second part of their bus cut plans. Phase 3 of the consultation runs from Tuesday 1 November 2011 to Tuesday 31 January 2012, and a link for people who want to get involved can be found bellow.
Phase two of the plans resulted in 15 cuts and 5 changes to school buses plus, a ‘flat-rate’ of £2.50 per day for student transport will be introduced from September 2011. Home-to-school transport will be reduced to statutory provisions. Students who are not entitled to free transport, will be offered paid-for Concessionary places, but on a first come first served basis.
The council tells us that they have worked with bus companies and some routes have been taken on commercially. They also tell us that in terms of the overall ability to travel and patronage loss, the impacts have been very small. There is good information available to the public and the quality of the consultation has been high.
See the links below for the details of the buses that have been cut or are at risk.
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West Berkshire
Cuts to the budget will impact on bus information services. Publicity budgets will be reduced by £22k and the contribution to bus services will reduce by £78k. There will be less bus service publicity and timetable information due to this budget cut.
The council told us in the autumn of 2011 that shortly they would need to save
£100,000, and predictive models suggest this would involve terminating 4 services, reducing 3 services and withdrawing contributions to 2 cross boundary services.
If the above changes happened then the estimated number of bus passenger journeys that would be lost is 23,195 and the estimated total lost bus mileage would be circa 23,500 miles
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Sources
West Sussex
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 89 or 28% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £4,720,068. The amount allocated to buses in 2011/1 is £4,220,000. The number of bus services that will be reduced or withdrawn in 2011/12 is 31.
The council has decided to reduce support to the tune of £2 million over three years for Sunday and evening bus services, as well as less frequent daytime buses. This means the budget for supported buses is dropping from 4.7 million to 2.7 million over the next few years. It is predicted that bus trips will drop by 2 million a year, reducing bus use in the county by nearly 10%. Of course this is difficult to calculate because commercial operators might decide to step up and run some of the buses without subsidy.
The council has set up a group of elected representatives to decide how and where to make cuts to bus services, but there are no bus users in this group. Instead bus users have been asked to write in to let their views be known.
The council had also looked at taking away transport assistance to post -16 students (the 3 in 1 pass) in a bid to withdraw another £807,000 from its spending on public transport. Instead, they have decided to charge for the card at a rate of £50 per year. This has been in place since 9th May.
The Deputy Leader of the council, Lionel Barnard, is questioned about bus cuts in an interview (please see link below for full details). The council is also carrying out an ‘impact assessment’ on how reductions in bus subsidies will affect passengers in West Sussex.
The first wave of decisions on bus service cuts have now been made. See the list in the sources bellow.
The county council will be consulting on further funding reductions to be introduced during 2012 - 2013.
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Windsor and Maidenhead
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Wokingham
Wokingham Council support 9 buses, or 41% of the network and their contribution to supporting non-commercial buses increased from £678000 in 2010/11 to £710000 in 2011/12.
The council are also not proposing to make any changes to the concessionary bus pass scheme.
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Bracknell Forest
The council supports 15 buses or 29% of the bus network. However changes to when concessionary fares are used has affected more than 3,800 disabled bus users across the county. In a recent update, this decision will be brought to the attention of the local government ombudsman, in a campaign fronted by former Labour Councillor, Chris Goodall, who states Bracknell Forest Council failed to consult bus users properly on proposed changes.
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Brighton and Hove
At the council meeting on 3rd March 2011 it was decided to make efficiency savings in this area. The documents suggest that by 2013 £184,000 will have been deducted from the spending on buses. However the council tell us that the amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £984,354 and this will rose to £1,056,590 in 2011/12
The council subsidises 32 buses. Pressure from passengers in Brighton & Hove has meant bus operators have added 2 additional services to the evening 28 route.
However there has been a cut back to travel time for concessionary buss pass holders, and these tickets will now be valid from 9.30am rather than 9am.
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Buckinghamshire
The county council was consulting on a plan to withdraw funding for all Sunday bus routes and evening bus services they currently support. However on 6th May 2011 they announced that after hearing the views of bus users they have decided to make a less damaging cut to the bus budget.
However the budget has still been reduced from £4,623,000 in 2010.11 to £4,123,000 in 2011/12. The 74 evening Sunday service in the county will be withdrawn from 19th June 2011, route 52 running from High Wycombe to Amersham and Chesham is also likely to be affected, and proposals suggest both services will no longer be running after 4.30pm on Sunday and weekday evenings.
Details of more services that were affected from 15th May 2011 because of changes to subsidised evening and Sunday services, can be found in the sources bellow.
See the Arriva Bus link in the sources section for details of service changes across the Aylesbury area.
The council have also published a list of services that will be changing from 24th July 2011. As most of these services are contracted, it’s difficult to know whether these changes are because of cuts to bus subsidies. For a list of service affected see sources bellow.
To lessen the impact, the council are promoting a Community Transport Fund of up to £100,000 to communities who can demonstrate a need for additional transport.
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East Sussex
"Unreliable buses in Eastbourne mean that I am often left standing in the cold for a late bus that has been cancelled. This frequently happens. I cannot afford a taxi and feel unsafe walking the two miles home. I miss trains and appointments when daytime buses are cancelled. My partner finds the buses so unreliable he has a car, which would not otherwise be required and is a huge financial burden on our low income." Jane Wilde
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 121 or 73% of the network. The amount spent on buses has dropped from £2,420,000 in 2010/11 to £2,110,000 in 2011/12.
When the budget was set the council explained that measures to make savings would include fare reviews and possible increases, retendering and renegotiation of contract price indexation and possibly some reductions to services focussing on quieter journeys that cost most for the council. The savings will be phased over two years.
The council did consult on plans to reduce the times that the free bus pass can be used back to the statutory minimum; however Councillor Matthew Lock has confirmed that the council will be maintaining the current arrangements.
However East Sussex is planning to spend £16 million on Bexhill Hastings Link Road, in a disappointing move promoting car use instead of developing public transport.
See the sources below for details of which bus services have been affected across East Sussex.
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London
" I believe good, reliable public transport is the only way to get people out of their cars – better for health and the environment." Fay Watson
Generally the system which Transport for London uses to keep control over services and fares in the capital works well, and because of the economic importance of London to the UK the transport system is relatively well-funded. London’s buses will continue to be the model for many other parts of England. Even here bus subsidies are to be cut by 40%. The shortfall will be filled by increases in fares (at RPI + 2%) and generally not by cuts in bus services. This is part of a drive to cut £5 billion from Transport for London spending by 2017/18.
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Hampshire
The council has been reviewing all supported bus services. In 2010/11 the council supported 192 buses or 72% of the network.
The council are to reduce the hours during which bus pass holders can take the bus for free to the statutory minimum for journeys starting outside of Hampshire. But in response to concerns raised by the public during the public consultation in February, free travel from 9am to 11pm will be maintained for journeys starting in Hampshire.
The council is concerned with the concessionary fares settlement it receives from the Government, which is £1million under the real cost of the scheme. The county's treasurer Carolyn Williams explained that last year the statutory free bus pass scheme cost £13.5m, and “the coalition’s own minimum estimated cost to run it was £12.5m, but from April we will receive just £11.6m from the Government, less than its own estimated cost.”
Budget cuts of £800,000 to home to school transport mean subsidised fares will be pulled back to the statutory minimum. This means new charges will come into effect in September 2012, including for parents of post-16 young people with learning disabilities and other changes will phased in from then onwards.
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Isle of Wight
"Losing the 33 and 33a buses will mean no direct route to Newport." Peter Boggett, Ryde
Bus operator Southern Vectis has taken over commercial running of bus services across the county " for over £150,000 a year less than at present” (Southern Vectis, April 2011). The Wight Bus service will continue, and be run by Southern Vectis at a “preferential rate”.
The council have told us that no buses have been reduced or withdrawn this year. In 2010/11 the council supported 19 buses or 79% of the network. The mount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £498,502, and this went down to £414,375 in 2011/12 and is set to go down again to £366,373 in 2012/13 and 2013/14.
The use of concessionary fares has been drawn back to the statutory minimum, permitting free travel but only after 9.30am Monday – Friday, and any time weekends of Bank Holidays.
The council is currently undergoing a consultation process for its Home-to-School transport policy, there are proposals to cut transport support down to the statutory minimum for post-16 and faith school students, with changes to come into effect from September 2011 and 2012, respectively. The consultation ran until 4th July 2011. The council has told us that so far there have not been any school transport provision.
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Bath and North East Somerset
“Cuts to bus services mean that people who can resort to their cars will, increasing congestion and pollution on Bath’s already overcrowded roads. For people who rely on the bus and have no alternative means of transport, they’ll be absolutely stranded. We don't yet know what further cuts there will be but I am very concerned about the future.“ Barbara Gordon
The council tell us that there have been no reductions to buses as a result of funding cuts. In fact the amount allocated to supporting buses rose from £954,000 in 2010/11 to £991,000 in 2011/12. This is not to say that bus users in the area are happy with the current services provided.
Bath bus campaigners have been busy, calling for action to stop bus service reductions and conducted a survey to find out what bus users think. A great campaigning technique which has got them media attention (see sources).
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Bournemouth
The council's cabinet at its meeting on 16th February 2011 decided to reduce funding to supported bus services by £75,000 a year for four years. In 2010/11 the council supported 19 buses or 10-15% of the buses.
We have heard from a number of Bournemouth residents who have been impacted badly by the bus cuts and feel that their voices are being ignored by the council.
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Bristol
Bristol City Council at their meeting on 22nd February 2011 agreed budget cuts amounting to £22 million next year. The council's current budget for supported bus services amounts to £5.2 million and they will now be seeking to cut £600,000 by rationalising bus contracts in the city.
Since agreeing to the cuts, the council has embarked upon a consultation under the title of "Let’s talk about supported transport services" (see sources below) which relates to park & ride, night flyers, early/late services and door to door services for disabled people. They want views about how to actually go about making cuts of £1 million over two years. The consultation ran from 1st March to 11th May 2011.
The council has also agreed to review denominational free school buses for all but the very poorest children and save £260,000 on home-to-school transport through more efficient procurement and because of less children travelling.
You will see from the links bellow that despite chasing them the council have not replied to our questions about their support for public and school buses.
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Sources
Bristol Council budget savings
Let's talk about supported transport services
Bristol have not replied to our Freedom of Infomation requests
Freedom of Infomation request 1
Cornwall
In November 2010, council members expressed concern when they were told of the number of the recommended service reductions, including the proposal to remove the subsidy currently given to support evening and Sunday bus services.
Acknowledging these concerns the council looked to make savings elsewhere. As a result, whilst there will be some changes to services (see sources below), some of the cost of maintaining the socially necessary bus subsidy will largely be met by removing free travel for people with concessionary bus passes before 9.30 am in line with the national scheme.
The budget for supporting buses in 2010/11 was £4724276 and dropped to £3937000 in 2011/12. It is predicted that this will drop again to £3,787,000 in 2012/13 and £3,737,000 in 2013/14.
Bus operator First Group have published a list of services that have been affected directly because of council subsidy cuts, which were in effect from 17 April 2011 (see sources below).
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Devon
"I am willing to put up with certain amount of inconvenience to use more sustainable transport, but when cuts to services get too bad, the only option is to drive. This makes the public transport even less profitable and leads to further cuts." Janet Chapman, Devon
When I suggested to the council that there should be more frequent bus services and was told I needed to start living in the real world. The attitude in Devon is there are buses there if you want to use them, but we don't really care if you don't." Mike Friend, Dartmouth
"Cuts to school buses mean it will not be possible for me to get my three children to their different schools." Sally Hunt, Yelverton
In 2011 12 buses have been lost and 69 have been reduced. These bus services have either been reduced or withdrawn completely. A full list can be found in the sources.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 220 or 75% of the network. T
he amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £6,458,450 and this dropped to £5,077,500 in 2011/12.
One of the threatened routes, the Stagecoach 111 Dartmouth to Torquay service – widely used by patients and visitors to Torbay Hospital – has been saved but is to have its route altered. It will no longer visit Berry Pomeroy and Marldon, meaning these villages no longer have car-free access to the hospital.
At the same time, the council has just promised another £21 million towards a link road in the south of the county, a project which has ground to a halt in the wake of the spending review. This brings Devon’s total contribution to road developments to £33 million. The council is clearly prioritising cars and roads over public transport.
However Exeter campaigners have some good news to share on fares. While standard single and return tickets have risen in the city by an average of just over 5%, Stagecoach is reducing the cost of the ‘Dayrider’ ticket in Exeter from £4 to £3.50 and are introducing a new ‘NiteRider ticket’ for £2, allowing unlimited travel on all Stagecoach services after 7pm. Campaigners have particularly welcomed a new child ‘add-on ticket’ for £1 which will apply when children accompany a fare paying adult at weekends or during school holidays.
Transport campaigner, Andrew Bell, who has led negotiations with Stagecoach on bus fares said:
“These are just the kind of creative products we have been calling for. It now means that no one travelling on the buses in Exeter ever need pay more than £3.50 a day. The new £1 child fare is especially good news for families travelling at weekends and during the school holidays as it will reduce the cost of travel substantially. The new ‘NiteRider’ ticket will also help to encourage adults to use the bus for an evening out. We hope that these new tickets will encourage more Exeter residents to switch from car to bus and so help relieve congestion, reduce air pollution and help towards reducing carbon emissions in the city. If Stagecoach sees that these tickets are successful we might see even bolder and more imaginative fares, especially for children and families, in future. It is disappointing that other parts of Devon are to see increases rather than reductions in the price of day tickets but it goes to show that persistent campaigning gets results. I would urge campaigners in other parts of Devon to keep up the pressure on Stagecoach for fair fares.”
In terms of school and college transport, at the budget meeting in February the council agreed a package of cuts totalling £1.673 million. More specifically, this will see changes to the eligibility for Home to College Transport that will save £797,000 from the £2.406 million (and possibly withdraw it altogether in coming years) as well as savings of £40,000 by the complete withdrawal of faith and grammar school transport. Other cuts see Home to School transport reduced by £702,000.
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Dorset
The council have told us that 7 buses have been reduced or withdrawn, but all of these have been taken on by commercial operators.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was 94 or 56% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £ 2,586,759 and this dropped to £2,337,000 in 2011/12.
The entire tendered network of public bus services, school services, special needs and adult care have been looked at as a whole. Contracts will also last longer cutting back on fuss and the cost of procurement. It’s been reported that the council is making available social care mini buses for taxi bus schemes when they are not in use. Joined up creative thinking can make a real difference in these difficult financial times, making sure that councils are getting the most out of the public money that they put into public transport.
At the Cabinet meeting on 16th February 2011 a recommendation was adopted that the concessionary fare scheme would in future operate only along statutory lines (0930 to 2300, Monday to Friday, all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays) with additional discretions for pre-0930 journeys in rural areas (where no service before 1030) and for blind and partially sighted people or for people requiring companions.
The county council has suggested that Christchurch, East Dorset, Purbeck and West Dorset District Councils could continue with their token and voucher schemes using “well-being” powers but they would be separate from the county scheme although the county council has offered to act as an agent for those authorities wishing to continue pre 0930 concessions.
Last Updated Nov 2011
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Gloucestershire
The plan is to move to a "hub and spoke" basis of operation with market towns and strategic routes being served by community transport in rural areas. The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 was170 or 85% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £4,543,000 and this dropped to £4,413,000 in 2011/12. The number of bus services that will be reduced or withdrawn as a result of budget cut has been 2 so far due to that commercial replacements have been found in many cases.
It has been decided to withdraw the St Oswald's Park and Ride Service. In addition, at its meeting on 16th February 2011, the council decided to make a saving of £2m a year by cutting its home-to-school provision for faith schools, grammar schools and academies in respect of under 16s. From September 2011 post 16 students will only receive assistance to the nearest school or college but with increased parental contributions (see sources below for details).
The council will also be taking on responsibility for concessionary fares across Gloucestershire. Many of the district councils that previously ran the scheme operated pre 0930 bus travel concessions which Gloucestershire County Council plans to continue until current passes expire after which the statutory scheme will only be on offer.
Last updated Nov 2011
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North Somerset
The amount spent on subsidising buses in 2010/11 was £1032450 and this increased to £1058171 in 2011/12. However the council has told us savings will have to be made in the years going forward.
The number of bus services that will be reduced or withdrawn so far is 2. The council is looking to save £24,000 by restructuring sustainable travel and road safety. This is on top of a straight £8,000 cut to the funds for sustainable travel, road safety and public transport budgets.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Source
Plymouth
In 2010/11 the city supported 22 buses or 27.5% of the bus network. One proposal put to the council in 2011 to save money was a package of transport cuts, including revised service provision and cuts to subsidised bus fares. The notes in the council documents show that there were concerns regarding reduced mobility and access to services and as a result budget cuts in this area will be minimized.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Poole
The council told us that significant savings were achieved through the retendering of the majority of contracts and offering 8 year contract periods. There were some timetable changes though mostly minor. The council say that a couple of problems were created but these will be rectified by changes in September.
In 2010/11 the council supported 38 buses or 64.4% of the network.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Somerset
"The only public transport to many local towns and villages are the buses so if these disappear lots of people will be left stranded." Tony Reese, West Coker
"My son is partially sighted and relies on the buses. He is not able to learn to drive" Sally Lever
In 2010/11 there were 147 buses supported by the council, or 69% of the network. The amount spent on supporting non-commercial buses in 2010/11 was £5171907 and in 2011/12 this dropped to £ 4467600.
Not only has the council agreed huge cuts in the support it gives to buses, the package of cuts agreed by the council also includes a reduction in accessible transport services and the removal of the remaining subsidy for the ‘County Ticket’ post-16 travel scheme.
The exact services to be scrapped or changed appear in the sources below.
Last updated Nov 2011
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South Gloucestershire
The council have told us that in 2010/11 they supported 50 non-commercial buses spending £2326174.96, and in 2011/12 the amount allocate to bus support dropped to £2187070. None the less the bus network have been protected.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Source
Peter Walker, Intergrated Transport Manager
South Gloucestershire Council Budget Meeting Papers
Freedom of Infomation request and reply 1
Swindon
Despite receiving a petition with 1900 signatures in support of free denominational school transport, the council has decided to continue with its plans to withdraw this service.
The number of bus services that received subsidies in 2010/11 is 29 or 100% of the network. The amount spent on buses in 2010/11 was £1266706 and this dropped to £1026992 in 2011/12.
The number of bus services that will be reduced or withdrawn as a result of the budget cut is 10 in 2010/11 and 9 in 2011/12.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Torbay
The council supports 8 buses or 15% of the network. The council are working with local bus operators to ensure services are maintained although this may mean changes in some cases to make routes better utilised and therefore more viable. The council state that no routes will be lost, connectivity of routes will be maintained and in some cases services will be improved.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Wiltshire
The original council plan had been to make more savage cuts of as much as £145000000 but due to efficiency and procurement savings this has been reduced to £600000.
The council are committed to a strategic review of the bus network by re-defining services as "strategic" or "local" and re-planning the way they are to be provided with a view to expanding the role of community and voluntary transport.
According to the South West Liberal Democrats, there is no consultation on the changes, but the decision will be announced at area board meetings and there will be an "opportunity to give feedback."
However, in better news, last year the council brought in a scheme where parking charges are used to fund rural buses. We hope that this will help protect bus passengers.
Last updated Nov 2011
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Scotland
Public Transport in Scotland is organised slightly differently from England, but nonetheless local authorities are responsible for providing non-commercial socially necessary routes, and local authority budgets in Scotland are also being reduced. If you know more than we do about what is happening on the ground in Scotland let us know.
Last updated 30 June 2011
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Wales
The Bus Service Operators Grant is paid directly to bus firms, and helps both commercial and subsidised buses. Effectively it is a partial fuel tax rebate for buses. Bus companies and councils in England have been given 18 months to prepare for a 20% reduction starting in April 2012. However in Januray 2012 the Welsh Government announced a 25% cut to this grant with only 3 months warning. This is likely to mean bus cuts and higher fares.
The LTSG for 2012/13 was cut by 27%, and this will have an impact on subsidised buses in 22 unitary authorities . In some rural areas the LTSG funds 50% of supported services. There are concerns that the LTSG cut will have an effect on the services to more isolated areas, and evening and Sunday services. It appears that most places in Wales have not yet suffered bus cuts, however if you know something that we don’t we would be very interested to hear from you.
Last updated Feb 2012
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28%
The cut to local transport funding by central Government. Some local authorites responded by cutting ALL bus subsidies.
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