Council saves bus service for the second time

The council is trying to make sure the service does not stop when the current contract ends

A council has said "final steps" were being taken to secure a new provider for a threatened bus service.

The W8 connects the towns of Bozeat and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, but the current provider has said it will stop running the service at the end of this month.

This is the second time North Northamptonshire Council has stepped in to save the W8 service - it paid £14,000 to a new provider in 2021.

The authority has proposed a new bus strategy designed to reinstate bus services lost during the Covid pandemic.

The W8 has been operated by Stagecoach Midlands since 2021, following Grant Palmer's withdrawal from the service after it decided it was unviable.

Michael Pollard, who lives in Bozeat, told the BBC in 2021: "I am highly dependent on the bus. It's absolutely essential because I don't drive at all."

"It's for everything we need - shopping, hospital appointments, the dentist - everything."

The W8 service connects several villages, including Bozeat, with Wellingborough

Stagecoach Midlands has now told the council it will stop running the service on 29 July.

The council said it was "making final arrangements to secure an operator for the W8 service".

It added that the new provider would be in place in time for the end of the current contract.

Matt Binley, the council’s executive member for highways and travel, said: "I’m delighted that we’ve been able to work with another bus company to help find a solution and we’re committed to making sure the service will not be interrupted."

Michael Pollard, who uses the W8 bus, said it was absolutely essential for him

In a bid to provide better public transport, North Northamptonshire Council said it would be introducing a Bus Improvement Plan, which will be "targeted towards actions which will deliver the best overall outcomes for bus services".

The government has provided £2m of funding to the council. Some of the money will be used to save bus routes which represent value for money or maintain essential connectivity for local communities.

The funding will also help restore services withdrawn since the start of the Covid pandemic if they were likely to be commercially viable.

Jason Smithers says the council is setting high standards with its Bus Improvement Plan

Jason Smithers, the leader of the council, said: “Buses play a major role in reducing congestion on our roads, reducing pollution and helping us meet our ambitious carbon reduction targets.

“I’m delighted that we are setting the bar high with our ambitions and working hard to make sure they become a reality.”