Bus operators in England plead for cash saying third of services face axe

theguardian.com:

Almost a third of bus services in England could be axed within weeks if the government does not make “critical decisions” to extend emergency funding, bus operators have warned.

Bus services were supported by grants during the pandemic when customers were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, but funding is due to expire on 5 April, with passenger numbers still only about 70% of pre-pandemic levels.

Operators normally have to give a minimum six weeks’ notice of route closures, meaning that many are already having to decide which will not be viable in the spring, when the Bus Recovery Grant payments end.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents the industry, said it expected to have a £350m “funding gap” next year, with operators also facing higher costs, especially in staffing, where a driver shortage has led to large wage increases.

Graham Vidler, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, told a House of Lords committee hearing on Tuesday: “The consequences could be that bus operators are forced to reduce services by about 30%.

“The decisions that government makes in the coming weeks are really critical. If they are to provide a short-term, limited extension of the grant, it will allow the industry to recover.

“If the government steps away, not only will it undermine the ambitions set out in the national bus strategy, but in future to stay on track to achieve net zero they are going to have to rebuild those bus services again which will cost more money and be harder to attract passengers who have formed new habits.”

Phil Southall, managing director of the Oxford Bus Company, told the hearing that numbers had been recovering after the pandemic, but added: “The ‘avoid public transport’