Suffolk bus firm boss says some rural routes unsustainable

Dan Trent started the business in 2018

The owner of a bus travel company said he was only operating on some routes because people were left "stranded" following cuts to services.

Dan Trent, who runs Dan's Coach Travel, based in Rattlesden, Suffolk, said if he had operated as a "proper businessman" more would have gone.

Suffolk County Council got a share of £15m from the government last year to protect services.

But it said routes could only operate with "sufficient passenger numbers".

"If I was a proper businessman they [some of the routes] would probably be long gone, because it says Dan's Coach Travel not Dan's charity travel," said Mr Trent.

"If someone else took this over, they'd probably be the first thing to go, but I just enjoy doing it, for the fact that people are using them and they're not stranded."

The firm say day trip bookings and private hire are an important part of the business

The money the council received from the Department for Transport was used to protect services with low passenger numbers.

Mr Trent said he was in talks with the council to extend funding for a route between Stowmarket and Diss beyond March but was "waiting to hear".

A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said: "Suffolk County Council supports local bus routes to the tune of £1.6m every year, as well as community transport via the Connecting Communities service for a further £1.3m each year.

"However, the fact remains that some local bus services are not well used and operators can only justify running a route when they have sufficient passenger numbers."