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Herefordshire Council is to step up support for public transport in response to rising costs from commercial operators that threaten the future of key services.
However, despite the Council’s rescue package, many other services in Herefordshire will be lost or reduced as bus companies cite inflation busting increases in operating costs.
Around £97,000 is being reallocated within the Herefordshire Council’s Highways and Transportation budgets to maintain an evening and Sunday service in Hereford and to replace a peak hour service between Leominster and Hereford.
Despite the additional funding, new bus timetables to be introduced on the 5th September will still see a large number of services lost, with buses in the evenings and at weekends particularly affected.
This follows the announcements by First Bus in May this year of their intention to discontinue several services in Hereford. The Council then moved swiftly in a bid to minimise the impact of the cuts, holding talks with local operators and negotiating changes with First Bus.
Cllr Mike Wilson, Cabinet Member Highways and Transportation, said: “The reduction of service is highly regrettable but for the Council to have maintained the status quo would cost an additional £320,000.
“This level of additional funding is simply not available.
“I sympathise with people who will be severely affected by these changes but this announcement comes at a time when the Council has been capped and from comments I have received we have little electorate support or Government support for raising extra revenue.
“Obviously there is great public concern about the level of Council Tax and the Government continues exerting pressure to minimise increases.
“As a direct consequence we are now seeing real cuts in services.”
In June the National Federation of Bus Users’ held a special Surgery in Hereford but this has seemingly had little effect in protecting local services.
The latest tenders for bus services in Herefordshire have confirmed that the cost of bus operation is rising much faster than inflation.
More follows
Reasons include higher wage rates due to a shortage of bus drivers and higher wages in neighbouring authorities. There have also been large increases in the cost of fuel and particularly in insurance.
In addition, bus operators are preparing for the extension of the European Working Time Directive to bus drivers, which will limit the number of hours they can work.
These increased costs have been reflected in increased amounts of subsidy asked for by bus companies when contracts are tendered again. This means that many routes are becoming unviable.
Cllr Wilson added: “I think the key message we have to send to the travelling public is that if they want bus services to remain they have to use them EVEN MORE.
“The Council will do everything it can to maintain services, but it does not have a bottomless pit of money and unless the general public can be encouraged to make better use of the existing bus services further cuts seem inevitable.
“However, to limit spending on buses to the current level would have meant unacceptable reductions in services including the complete withdrawal of evening and Sunday services in Hereford.
“ I am pleased that we have been able to find ways of protecting some of the most vital services.”
Herefordshire Council currently spends £634,000 on providing subsidised bus services and a further £800,000 for buses in rural areas provided by central government.
The recent round of tenders saw prices increase by 36% for services funded directly by the Council and by 47% for those services paid for by the government’s Rural Bus Subsidy Grant. The rise equates to an increase of £170,000 in cash terms.
In addition, a temporary grant for bus service provision from the Countryside Agency is being phased out which means that to maintain the current level of bus service in the county would cost the Council an extra £320,000 per annum.
COUNCIL MOVES TO RESCUE KEY SERVICES
Herefordshire Council is to step up support for public transport in response to rising costs from commercial operators that threaten the future of key services.
However, despite the Council’s rescue package, many other services in Herefordshire will be lost or reduced as bus companies cite inflation busting increases in operating costs.
Around £97,000 is being reallocated within the Herefordshire Council’s Highways and Transportation budgets to maintain an evening and Sunday service in Hereford and to replace a peak hour service between Leominster and Hereford.
Despite the additional funding, new bus timetables to be introduced on the 5th September will still see a large number of services lost, with buses in the evenings and at weekends particularly affected.
This follows the announcements by First Bus in May this year of their intention to discontinue several services in Hereford. The Council then moved swiftly in a bid to minimise the impact of the cuts, holding talks with local operators and negotiating changes with First Bus.
Cllr Mike Wilson, Cabinet Member Highways and Transportation, said: “The reduction of service is highly regrettable but for the Council to have maintained the status quo would cost an additional £320,000.
“This level of additional funding is simply not available.
“I sympathise with people who will be severely affected by these changes but this announcement comes at a time when the Council has been capped and from comments I have received we have little electorate support or Government support for raising extra revenue.
“Obviously there is great public concern about the level of Council Tax and the Government continues exerting pressure to minimise increases.
“As a direct consequence we are now seeing real cuts in services.”
In June the National Federation of Bus Users’ held a special Surgery in Hereford but this has seemingly had little effect in protecting local services.
The latest tenders for bus services in Herefordshire have confirmed that the cost of bus operation is rising much faster than inflation.
More follows
Reasons include higher wage rates due to a shortage of bus drivers and higher wages in neighbouring authorities. There have also been large increases in the cost of fuel and particularly in insurance.
In addition, bus operators are preparing for the extension of the European Working Time Directive to bus drivers, which will limit the number of hours they can work.
These increased costs have been reflected in increased amounts of subsidy asked for by bus companies when contracts are tendered again. This means that many routes are becoming unviable.
Cllr Wilson added: “I think the key message we have to send to the travelling public is that if they want bus services to remain they have to use them EVEN MORE.
“The Council will do everything it can to maintain services, but it does not have a bottomless pit of money and unless the general public can be encouraged to make better use of the existing bus services further cuts seem inevitable.
“However, to limit spending on buses to the current level would have meant unacceptable reductions in services including the complete withdrawal of evening and Sunday services in Hereford.
“ I am pleased that we have been able to find ways of protecting some of the most vital services.”
Herefordshire Council currently spends £634,000 on providing subsidised bus services and a further £800,000 for buses in rural areas provided by central government.
The recent round of tenders saw prices increase by 36% for services funded directly by the Council and by 47% for those services paid for by the government’s Rural Bus Subsidy Grant. The rise equates to an increase of £170,000 in cash terms.
In addition, a temporary grant for bus service provision from the Countryside Agency is being phased out which means that to maintain the current level of bus service in the county would cost the Council an extra £320,000 per annum.