44 bus routes axed as council subsidy cuts hit services

MORE than 40 bus routes are set to be axed just weeks after a council cut subsidies for the services.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council approved �313,000 of savings by cutting bus subsidies last month as part of a package of �35.6 million in cutbacks.

Funding has been withdrawn for 44 services across the city and affects bus companies First, Wardle Transport and D&G.

Campaigns have been launched to save services which residents say are "vital". Now the council is in talks with the operators to see what can be done to save them. Councillor Brian Ward, cabinet member for housing, planning and transportation, said: "These discussions will be the crunch point. We need to work in partnership with the bus operators to get the best we can out of the service but we have also got to bear in mind the bus operators need to make a profit."

Subsidies can sometimes only cover part of a route or services at a particular time or day. The council is also looking to work with neighbouring authorities on routes covering more than one area.

Discussions will take place over the next few weeks to determine whether any bus operators will take on the under-threat routes commercially. First Bus runs a number of subsidised services, most of which are additional journeys on commercial routes.

Among those most likely to go is the 24A. The normal 24 service from Hanley to Newcastle goes along College Road but the city council pays a subsidy to run the 24A along Leek Road between Lichfield Street and Station Road.

If the subsidy is cut and First decides not to run it commercially, there will be no buses on that section of Leek Road.

Others facing the axe include the number 22 from Longton to Newcastle on a Sunday and the Sunday 8A from Hanley to Brown Edge and Endon.

Paul de Santis, network manager for First Midlands, pictured left, said the company did not yet know which routes would be affected by cuts.

He said: "The 24A Leek Road service is among those likely to go and it is very unlikely we will decide to operate the 22 Sunday service. We expect to make a decision in the next four weeks."

A Wardle Transport spokesman said: "We will have further talks with the city council to discuss a way forward."

No-one from D&G was available for comment.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503368/s/13588a3e/l/0L0Sthisisstaffordshire0O0Cnews0C440EBUS0EROUTES0ESCRAPPED0Carticle0E33263530Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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