Talks aiming to save under-threat bus routes
DISCUSSIONS which could save 16 bus routes, including in Camberley, are at an “advanced stage”.
Arriva, which has about 50 buses which cover routes around Guildford to Camberley, Woking and Cranleigh, last week announced it was planning to close its Guildford depot in mid-December.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, it was confirmed Byfleetbased Falcon Coaches is considering taking the routes on.
Falcon Coaches operate school buses, coach hire and, as Falcon Buses, run a number of routes, largely in the Woking, Epsom and Elmbridge areas.
In the statement on Thursday,
Arriva UK Bus and Falcon Coaches said discussions for Falcon to take over Arriva’s bus operations in Guildford later this year were at “advanced stages”.
“This follows an announcement made by Arriva last week that it proposed to close its Guildford depot and was exploring options, working alongside Surrey County Council, to safeguard services for the local community and to ensure a continuation of services via another operator if possible,” they said.
“Discussions between Falcon Coaches and Arriva are ongoing.
“Arriva continues to work closely with its trade union partners and Guildford employees as it looks to safeguard jobs and secure ongoing bus services for the local community”.
The news comes after trade union Unite called Arriva’s conduct “disgraceful”.
The union said the flawed nature of bus privatisation had been vividly exposed by the potential closure, which would, it said, have left thousands of Surrey residents in “turmoil”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “What we see here is a blatant disregard by Arriva for the people of Surrey.
“Passengers and a loyal workforce have been abandoned by this huge company that has no regard for this vital public service – and the reality is it is all too easy for them to simply walk away. This has to stop. Making profits from passengers must come with a responsibility to provide a service.
“Arriva’s disgraceful conduct has left bus users in the lurch and their daily journeys in turmoil. This cannot be allowed to happen here or anywhere else. This is another unacceptable example of the private sector being around when profits are to be made only to head to the hills once economic challenges appear.”
The union had planned, from October 27 to November 11, to take part in a consultation process on the future of affected routes.
Speaking before the announcement on progress of talks with Falcon Coaches, Unite national officer for passenger transport, Bobby
Morton, said: “The turmoil that Surrey bus users now face while a replacement bus company is sought is a cruel example of the flawed deregulation and privatisation business model that Margaret Thatcher foisted on the bus industry in the 1980s.
“It is time that local authorities took back control of these services for the public good. In the meantime, we will be fighting strongly for generous redundancy payments and a comprehensive redeployment scheme for those who want it.”
Arriva was contacted for comment and declined to respond.