Cuts to Gloucestershire rural bus routes 'a very serious problem'

Council chiefs said they have been "landed with a very serious problem" by the bus company

Plans to cut rural bus routes could affect up to 500,000 bus journeys a year in Gloucestershire, council leaders have said.

Stagecoach West is planning to cut some of its routes from mid-November in favour of their urban bus services.

"The cuts will affect some of the most vulnerable people in the county," said transport councillor Philip Robinson.

Stagecoach said the national shortage in bus drivers was behind its decision.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the affected routes have not yet been revealed, but Mr Robinson (Cons) said the council was assessing the data and working to find solutions.

"It is very likely that figure will be over 300,000 journeys and in the worst case scenario it could be pushing half a million journeys," he said.

'Very difficult situation'

Each journey equates to a person getting on a bus once.

"We have been landed in a very difficult situation, because Stagecoach has put its commercial interest before that of some of our most disadvantaged and isolated communities in the county," said Mr Robinson.

Stagecoach managing director, Rachel Geliamassi, said the decision was "not financially driven in any way".

"It is about delivering a service that we know we can run reliably given the continuing bus driver shortages impacting the bus and coach sector right across the UK," she said.

The council has written to the Traffic Commissioner, who regulates the licensing of buses, about the "poor service" provided by Stagecoach.

"We can't promise that we will find a solution to every problem that has landed at our door. But what's important is the willingness to succeed," added Mr Robinson.

'Inaccurate and misleading'

Ms Geliamassi said: "Our local communities are extremely important to us, and we know how critical bus services are to people in our region.

"We want to make the best of a very difficult set of current challenges that are largely outside our control.

"But statements that Gloucestershire County Council is making are both inaccurate and are misleading the public.

"The fact is that we have been speaking to the council for over four months to agree a solution that would help to deliver a more consistent bus service that passengers can use with confidence."