Wakefield Council condemns ‘savage cuts’ to bus services
Friday, October 04, 2024
Wakefield Council’s transport chief has condemned Arriva Yorkshire’s decision to impose “yet more savage cuts” to bus services across the Wakefield district.
Arriva’s announcement will see regional bus services further reduced. It is understood that their plans may result in around 80 fewer drivers across the region.
Their proposals could see sweeping cuts to evening bus services, some other routes withdrawn, frequencies cut, and could have a devastating impact on local communities, already reeling from previous reductions in recent years. The changes could come into effect in early 2025.
“This latest blow by Arriva Yorkshire – the UK’s worst bus operator - is completely unacceptable. And I’m afraid it reinforces their continued inability to do their job.
“We’ve seen bus services in our district decimated whilst in Arriva’s hands, and these new savage cuts are a further blow to the residents and businesses who rightly expect a bus operator to provide a reliable service.
“In Wakefield one in four households do not own a car and rely completely on public transport, so we know that many residents will be massively affected by this latest announcement. It is likely to cause serious problems with how they can get to work, see family, friends and visit places.
“Given their previous track record of failing to consider residents and communities when making decisions, it seems unlikely that Arriva Yorkshire will reconsider their proposals. And so, I am urging West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to step in and shore up our bus services.
“Whilst we can have confidence in the long term as WYCA take buses back under public control, we need help now to address what amounts to a crisis situation for public transport in our district and region.”
Cllr Matthew Morley
Cabinet Member for Planning and Highways
For information:
Arriva in West Yorkshire has been voted by passengers to be the worst performing bus operator in England and ranked at 55 out of 55 on overall satisfaction in a 2023 survey by watchdog Transport Focus.