St John's residents facing ‘curfew’ if bus cuts go ahead - councillor - The Worcester Observer

St John's residents facing ‘curfew’ if bus cuts go ahead - councillor

Worcester Editorial 22nd Aug, 2018   0

CONTROVERSIAL cuts to bus services across the county will place residents in St John’s and Dines Green on a curfew, a furious city and county councillor has claimed.

Operator First Bus has proposed a number of cuts to the services it offers next month as, while numbers have increased on some routes, usage has not risen enough to make them commercially viable.

The financial position has now also been worsened by a County Council decision to reduce subsidies to bus operators.

Evening services to St John’s will be reduced from September 17 starting with the number 30 bus which serves Dines Green on Friday and Saturday nights up until its last departure at 11.15pm.




Under the proposals being put forward by bus chiefs, the last bus will leave the city centre three hours earlier at 8.15pm.

The later number 31 bus to the university on Friday and Saturday evenings will also withdrawn be with the last journey now at 6.35pm and not 11.20pm.


“This is seriously wrong, evening public transport for vast areas of St John’s has just been abolished,” said Coun Udall.

“It puts young people, pensioners, health care workers and those employed in the night time economy at serious risk. They have effectively introduced a night time curfew for St John’s and Dines Green residents.

“The Tories have simply shrugged their shoulders and have claimed it is a commercial decision by First Bus. They need to act to ensure these valuable services remain in place and to ensure they continue to provide a public service for St John’s residents.

“This is what happens when you cut public transport. All cuts hurt, this will damage the local night time economy and will remove a safe journey home for many people.

“Something is seriously wrong in Worcester when people in most need are being denied public transport,” he added.

In response, Sarah East, Head of Operations at First said: “We are also now 11 months into the trials we implemented on some of our routes, such as the 44 Malvern and Pershore corridors and have been evaluating the uptake, performance and sustainability of these services.”

“We provided Worcestershire County Council with details of our proposed changes which could affect some of our county services on July 6 and are awaiting a decision as to whether they will be providing support to retain some of the proposals.”

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