Oxford bus driver shortage leaves services cancelled

The BBC was told bus services in Oxford were "pretty awful" and in some cases did not show up at all

A shortage of bus drivers is forcing services to be cancelled at short notice leaving passengers with unpredictable journey times.

Members of the public told the BBC that Oxford's buses were "pretty awful" and in some cases did not show up at all.

The Oxford Bus Company said it prioritised cancelling less busy routes, and updated its website daily.

Stagecoach, which also operates in the city, said it was not having to cancel services due to driver shortages.

One passenger told the BBC the service from Barton to Abingdon via the John Radcliffe hospital and central Oxford had been particularly affected.

Another said: "Number six has been really bad lately, with buses cancelled and just not turning up. They have been pretty awful."

'Terrible generally'

Andrew Baker, from Didcot, depends on public transport to get to Kennington for rehabilitation appointments for a brain injury.

He has been left "stranded" on a couple of occasions - most recently waiting two hours in Abingdon for a number 13 bus.

"Not just because of the burst water main that day, but due to OBC [Oxford Bus Company] cancelling many services due to driver shortages.

"The week prior I also had an hour waiting for a 13," Mr Baker said.

When the buses are cancelled, which are "terrible generally", he is either "very late" or he misses his rehabilitation.

"It means I lose the chance to socialise with others in the same situation and [that] makes my mental health have a dip," he added.

Oxford Bus Company had to cancel a recruitment drive planned for September after the Queen died

The Oxford Bus Company said there was a nationwide shortage of bus drivers and added a planned recruitment event in September had to be cancelled when the Queen died.

The company cited people leaving the profession during the pandemic, a backlog in getting licences for new drivers from the DVLA and a fall in the number of immigrants due to Brexit as reasons behind the driver shortage.

The DVLA said there was no delay impacting lorry and bus driver licence applications.

Nationally, 9.3% of driver roles are vacant across the UK, according to the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).

In a statement OBC's parent company, Go-Ahead, said: "There are fewer people coming into the country post-Brexit and upward wage inflation in other driving jobs, including HGV driving, has had an impact.

"There are a number of industry-wide initiatives to encourage people to become bus drivers, including a campaign on the positives of driving a bus which is due to launch this coming Tuesday."

Part of that initiative is a £3,000 signing-on bonus, the company had also put up its trainee rates and is in talks with unions about overall pay.