Gloucestershire 'to lose 150,000 bus journeys'

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

Cuts to rural bus routes could affect around 150,000 bus journeys a year, a council has claimed.

Bus provider Stagecoach West is cutting some of its Gloucestershire routes due to a shortage in bus drivers.

County council leaders said they "acted quickly" to try and ensure that "no one would be left isolated".

They saved around 350,000 of the journeys that the cuts would have lost, but not all the routes could be replaced.

The council said alternative ways of transport are being promoted, such as dial-a-ride and community transport, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Personal transport planners will be on hand to talk to anyone who needs extra help, the council added.

Education, skills and transport cabinet member Philip Robinson said: "In an extremely challenging context, the team have been able to save 350,000 - about 70% - of these journeys.

"Stagecoach has left many communities across the county high and dry.

"This is unacceptable to the county council and it's one of the reasons why I reported Stagecoach to the Traffic Commissioner.

"We are not prepared to let Stagecoach get away with treating communities this way. The people of Gloucestershire deserve better."

'Joint responsibility'

Stagecoach West managing director Rachel Geliamassi said the fact no operators have been found supports their concerns over the "viability of some parts of the county's network".

"Bus operators and local authorities have a joint responsibility to our communities - a factor we have made very clear in recent months as we looked to work in partnership to make the best out of a very difficult set of challenges largely outside our control," Ms Geliamassi said.

"Our local communities are extremely important to us, and we know how vital bus services are to people in our region."