• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Things to do
  • Radio
  • More
    • Food & drink
    • Business
  • About
    • Comments
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
  • Radio
  • WIN
  • Tonne of tins
  • Vouchers
  • Listen live »
YorkMix Tone of Tins

Crisis on York’s buses – ‘Use them or lose them,’ says council

The bad… a single post bus stop on PIccadilly, York
Sun 18 Dec, 2022 @ 8.49 am News, Transport Joe Cooper - Local Democracy Reporter

York residents have been urged to get back on the city’s buses or risk losing them as the council fights to stabilise a “crisis” on the network.

City of York Council has stepped in to prop-up several services which commercial operators have said are no longer viable in recent weeks.

But senior councillors have warned that they cannot provide unlimited subsidies if users don’t return to the bus or Government funding is not extended after March 2023.

York Cycle Campaign
York Cycle Campaign #Ad

Pre-Covid, the bus industry in York was worth £24 million. The council funded around £0.72 million of this through subsidies.

But due to Covid, the industry has shrunk to 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels, with 20 per cent fewer passengers. Driver shortages and fuel costs have only made matters worse.

The council has used an additional £1 million of its bus service improvement plan funding to safeguard the under-threat 13 and 412 services in the short term, as well as for recommissioning the Poppleton Park and Ride Site for Easter next year.

Earlier this month, First York announced that it is planning to withdraw the number 12 / 12A service entirely from January. A procurement exercise will be carried out before March to secure the longer-term future of both services.

The council has now said it will now focus on preserving routes, rather than bus frequencies – and it will not fund current commercial services where a reduction in frequency is an option for the operator.

Reduced frequency

Executive member for transport Cllr Andy D’Agorne said: “Keeping the bus network even with a reduced frequency, as long as local communities are not significantly negatively affected by the reduction, provides a better basis to build back in the future.”

Director of transport James Gilchrist said: “Rather than saying a bus is every half hour and not being able to deliver it, we think being able to say it’s every 40 minutes and you can rely on it is a better position and more likely to attract people back to the bus.

“The key message is we want people to return to the bus. The more people can get using the bus, the more commercially viable those buses will be.”

Cllr D’Agorne added: “Current action we can take is short term and limited by the funding, serving only as a time limited safeguard for existing local bus routes. Routes affected to-date have all been run commercially by bus operators and not financially supported by the council.”

He added: “We are in a position where if people don’t use the bus services, they could lose them.”

Trending

  1. Another York shop goes – City store launches closing down sale
  2. Woman spotted floating in the river in York is rescued and given emergency first aid
  3. Three miles of jams as A1(M) to stay closed for most of the day

Sun 18 Dec, 2022

Footer

YorkMix
News 01904 848 766
Email YorkMix news »
5-6 King's Court, Shambles, York  YO1 7LD
YorkMix Radio
General enquiries 01904 375 029
Studio/competitions 01904 375 030
Email YorkMix Radio »
Selby Superbowl, Bawtry Road, Selby  YO8 8NA
YorkMix is a trading name of YorkMix Media Ltd
Registered in England
Company number: 07814727
VAT number: 154 0364 34
© York Sound Ltd

Copyright © 2023 YorkMix Media Ltd

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT