Bus services in York are set to be cut as costs rise and passenger numbers fall.
A report to this week’s City of York Council executive meeting has proposed a series of service reductions following a bus network review.
The report says: “City of York Council officers work closely with operators and support them to take back subsided services to commercial operation, wherever practicable.
“However, there remains a risk that further commercial bus services could be withdrawn in the coming months, resulting in further requests for intervention.”
York passenger numbers are now 15% down on pre-Covid levels.
At the same time bus operators have seen fuel price increases of around 40% and staff costs increases of around 30% over recent years.
“Without making changes to the way some contracts are packaged or to routes, frequencies and/or operating hours, it is expected that the current supported bus network would become
unaffordable and have to be reduced significantly,” the report says.
The council has identified £1.94m in bus service subsidies this year. But some services will still need to be reduced.
Those services affected include:
- Service 11 – the South Bank Loop will be removed from route 26 and served by the number 11 instead. The service frequency on the South Bank Loop will stay every hour. The service frequency of the 11 would reduce from 50 minutes to an hourly service.
- Services 12 and 14 – set to merge. “No overall service change or reduction is planned and all stops will continue to be served, however minor timetable changes will be required to interwork the two timetables.”
- Service 13 – it is recommended that the Monday to Friday bus service serving the Flaxman Croft Loop in Copmanthorpe be withdrawn. And West Nooks, Haxby to be served by an hourly variation of service 1 (potentially numbered 1A) rather than the half hourly service 13. There is potential that changes may lead to reduction of bus service provision to West Nooks, Haxby.
- Services 16 and 24 – bus service 16 to be re-tendered as a longer, hourly route, taking on the Ascot Way Loop from service 24. This will reduce the frequency of service 16 from every 45 mins to every hour. There will also be a loss of the direct link from Poppleton Road to Ascot Way, with a change required in Acomb.
- Service 19 – “It is recommended that when re-tender this service that we ask operators to price both the existing half-hourly operation and the option to reduce the frequency to an hourly Monday-Saturday service. Depending on the prices returned, the existing frequency may be retained. Priority will be given to maintaining school-time journeys.”
- Services 24/25/26 – Services 24, 25, and 26 to provide an hourly service to Acomb & Derwenthorpe and a half-hourly service to Fulford Crossfield Crescent & Germany Beck. This recommendation will result in the loss of a direct link in one direction from Fulford to South Bank. It is recommended that service 26 will be merged with service 24 to form a single cross-city route.
If approved, these changes could start to be implemented from June.
The public were consulted on the changes. More than 400 people signed a petition objecting to the recommended removal of the Flaxman Croft Loop from service 13.
Comments included: “The proposal would mean I’d struggle or be unable to walk the distance from my home to the proposed bus stop.
“There is a steep incline to walk the distance up to Top Lane which due to health conditions is a struggle for me.”
The report says the council should accept the latest Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding from the government of up to £1.15m, with £750,000 used for supporting bus services, and £365,000 for ticketing offers and “behaviour change support”.
Previous BSIP funding has seen the council bring in a single flat fare of £1 to all those aged under 19, for any bus journey wholly within the City of York boundary. A £2.50 day ticket and a
£12 weekly ticket, valid on all operators’ services, is also available to this age group.
City of York Council is committed to “stabilising, improving, and growing the bus network” as part of the 10-Year Plan for the city, known as “York 2032”.
“This recognises transport as a key priority for the city, setting the goal that York’s transport networks will be inclusive and sustainable, connecting neighbourhoods and communities,” the report says.
The executive will meet tomorrow (Tuesday, 20 February) to discuss the plans.