Bus routes ‘are at risk’ if council subsidy cut

A BUS route between Hinckley and Coalville is among those at risk of losing the council funding needed to keep it running.

The 159 service is subsidised by Leicestershire County Council to the tune of £162,260 a year.

Opposition councillors said the route is a vital service – for some villages along the route, the only service they have.

However, the county’s lead for transport, Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, said it cannot be ruled out when it comes to determining which services must be cut.

The county has said it is facing a grim financial picture due to inflation and the impact of international stressors on the UK’s economy.

Millions of pounds of saving now need to be identified and services such as business support, highways maintenance, waste services, and buses are all on the line.

Coun O’Shea said: “The stark reality of the financial situation facing councils is we will need to look at new savings proposals.

“Every service will have to be in the mix, including popular services.”

Liberal Democrat leader Michael Mullaney said: “Due to the county council being so poorly funded by this Conservative government, the Conservative leadership at the county council have made it clear that subsidised bus services could soon cease to have support. This means services like the 159 could be stopped.

“At a time when people are struggling to fill their cars with petrol due to rocketing fuel prices we should not be removing public transport alternatives.

“Also at a time when the climate emergency is such a key issue we need to be supporting public transport not reducing it.”

Coun O’Shea said “We’re meeting MPs to clearly set out how grim the picture is and stress how losing out on government cash to bolster our bus network has hampered efforts to support the industry.”

The council had hoped to receive a £50 million boost to its transport finances as part of its County Deal bid.

This money is no longer on the table as it would have required the county, city and possibly Rutland to unite under one elected mayor – a move Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby called the daftest he had heard in a long time.

Subsidised bus routes across the county as a whole cost the council about £1.66 million a year.

The council needs to find about £70 million of additional savings to balance the books over the next four years.