Sunday bus services rescued by Arriva Midlands

Bristol LH wrote:That's the free muppets & OAP's mostly to blame! Its going to happen everywhere. Time to make them all pay FULL FARE

peanutbutter wrote:

Bristol LH wrote:That's the free muppets & OAP's mostly to blame! Its going to happen everywhere. Time to make them all pay FULL FARE

Lets make Kids pay full fare aswell then

who has been making money and not told the council
Jim, Leicester

More than half of the bus services across the county which are set to lose their council subsidies have been saved by their operators.

Some 42 evening, Sunday and school services will have their subsidies from Leicestershire County Council pulled next month in a bid to save the authority £700,000 a year.

But the council has now announced that 25 of the services will now continue – at least in part – on a commercial basis. A further three routes are still under discussion.

The Leicestershire branch of the Campaign for Better Transport has now called on private operators to try to salvage even more of the services. A spokesman said: "We believe that many more of these services could be commercially viable, and call on the operators and the county council to work together to maintain as many of them as possible in these challenging times for everyone."

In January, County Hall announced plans to cut subsidies to 25 evening and Sunday services as part of a bid to save about £66 million across all services over the next four years.

The council has to provide transport for children aged five to seven, living more than two miles from school, and children aged eight to 16, living more than three miles away.

But there are 17 services provided which are not required by law, known as school specials, which will have their subsidies cut.

A council spokesman said: "The council needs to make around £66 million of savings over the next four years and is faced with some very hard choices.

"This means that amongst other things, we've had to look at bus services and are withdrawing supported evening, Sunday and out-of-policy school services.

"The changes have been designed so they don't affect daytime, hourly, Monday-to-Saturday services which provide important links to work, training, education, health and shopping. We appreciate people's concerns and have worked closely with local bus services to limit the impact on residents and keep as many services running as possible.

"Changes will take place in mid to late July or at the end of the academic year."

David Shelley, commercial director of Centrebus, said: "Bus passengers in the county are going to be inconvenienced by it. It isn't something we are particularly happy about but we have to recognise that local authority funds are short."

Campaigns have sprung up across the county in a bid to stop the axe falling on specific school bus services, but these are unlikely to have any effect as the cuts form part of the council's budget plans.

Bristol LH wrote:And about 90% of the so called saved services will be axed after about 6 months due to them being massive wastes of money!

What it fails to state is all of these services are on a probationary period, and if they do not cover their costs, they will be permanently axed.