Half of bus routes ‘under threat’

NEARLY half of all bus routes are under threat because of a lack of government funding, it was claimed yesterday.

As authorities battle to plug a multi-million pound funding gap, campaigners warned that children, the disabled and the elderly will suffer worst unless urgent action is taken.

Free off-peak bus passes for over-65s and disabled customers are protected by law. But the Local Government Association warned the amount of money to finance the scheme fell short by a staggering £652million last year.

The figure is significantly more than the LGA’s previous estimate of a £200million funding shortfall made in 2016. To plug the gap, councils have reduced spending on discretionary fares across England, from £115million in 2014-15 to £85million in 2017-18, a fall of 26 per cent. It has led to rural bus services, peak travel for the elderly and disabled and post-16 school transport being slashed.

Nearly half of all bus routes in England currently receive partial or complete subsidies from councils and now face being scrapped, said the LGA.

There are more than 16,400 bus routes in England which are selfsupporting. But 8,460 routes which rely entirely on financial support to remain operating and 4,305 partially subsidised routes could be under threat.

Campaigners say more than 3,000 bus routes have been cut back or withdrawn in England and Wales in the past eight years.

Buses are the most frequently used form of public transport – with 40 per cent of over-60s using services at least once a week. LGA transport spokesman Martin Tett said: “Local authorities want to protect the bus services which provide a vital service for our communities and are a lifeline for our most vulnerable residents to go shopping, pick up medication, attend doctor appointments or socialise with friends and family.

“But due to significant funding pressures and the underfunding of the national free bus pass scheme, councils have been forced to reduce or scale back these services.”

The number of local bus passenger journeys in England fell by 85 million or 1.9 per cent in the year ending March 2018, according to recent Department for Transport figures.

Last night a spokesman said: “It is for councils to decide which bus operations to support in their areas, but we help to subsidise costs.”