Labour warns ‘wave of devastating bus cuts imminent’ without funding clarity

Labour has warned a “wave” of bus cuts that would be “devastating” for millions of people is expected from Wednesday unless the Government clarifies its financial support for the industry.

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh warned of a “looming bus crisis” with a key pandemic-support grant due to expire on April 6, and claims that a fund intended to improve and transform services for the longer-term has been “substantially reduced”.

She warned a third of bus services and around 300 million passenger journeys are at “imminent risk of being slashed”.

Labour said Ms Haigh will write to Grant Shapps on Monday calling on the Government to “come clean” over cuts to funding and provide greater clarity for the industry.

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Bus Recovery Grant, which provides support for bus operators impacted by the pandemic in England outside of the London and Greater Manchester, is due to expire when the financial year ends on April 5.

“Due to the six-week notice period on bus route closures, this Wednesday February 23 will be the last moment before a wave of bus service cuts are announced as a result of Covid Bus Recovery funding expiring on April 6,” Ms Haigh said.

Industry body the Confederation of Passenger Transport has warned that services could be cut by 30% unless support continues.

Ms Haigh also said a £3 billion funding commitment that the Prime Minister had said would create a “bus revolution” has been “slashed” to £1.2 billion.

The Transport Secretary has previously said it was “false” to claim the fund now totals £1.2 billion, and his department has said it is committed to making the £3 billion investment in bus services over this parliament.

But the West Midlands mayor, Conservative Andy Street, joined seven Labour regional leaders earlier this month in expressing their disappointment that the funding now involves “significant double counting”.

In a joint letter, they said the the fund had been “substantially reduced”.

Ms Haigh said: “The Tories promised ‘transformational’ investment in bus services, but they’re handing communities a crisis.

“These cuts would be devastating for the millions of passengers who depend on buses, and would represent a straightforward betrayal of the promises made to communities.

“Local communities need certainty in the face of this looming bus crisis, or they risk declining services being locked in for years to come.

“And the Government must come clean on the wider cuts to funding they promised to every corner of the country to improve shockingly bad bus services.”

A DfT spokesperson said: “We have provided over £1.7 billion to keep bus services running across the country throughout the pandemic, and are working closely with operators and local transport authorities to protect services after April.

“The Government has committed to investing £3 billion into bus services by 2025, including £1.2 billion to improve fares, services and infrastructure, and a further £525 million for zero emission buses.”