Call for Urgent Action on Whitby Bus Services

Wednesday, 27 September 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

Labour's parliamentary candidate for Scarborough and Whitby says urgent action is needed to tackle public transport issues in Whitby.

Alison Hume has been running her own survey to get views on local bus services.

Alison told a meeting of North Yorkshire Councillors that improvements need to be made ahead of a new transport strategy planned for next year.

Alison Hume asked North Yorkshire Council's Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee to explain how they are going to "address the problems of the Arriva provided services".

Council officers responded saying:

"The issues highlighted by Arriva are also being seen more widely as the bus sector is struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Passenger numbers in the Whitby area are still lower than pre COVID levels and bus companies everywhere are finding recruitment, higher costs and availability of replacement parts difficult.
As a result, some bus routes such as the 795 are now running less frequency with a timetable designed to reduce operating costs and to better balance these against the fares income being taken.
The Council spends £1.6 million each year to support bus services, mainly for rural communities, and is also accessing grant funding from central government. This additional funding is being focused on ensuring bus routes aren't withdrawn entirely and keeping a core level of service in place across the county.
We are also promoting the two pound fare CAP scheme. Which is helping to reverse the drop in passenger numbers seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is taking time.
On the reliability problems with Route X4, we understand the frustration this causes, but it is traffic Commissioners who are appointed by the government who are responsible for the licencing and regulation of bus and coach operators rather than local authorities. We will always work with them on issues such as this, but the Council doesn't have a regulatory role and it is not able to influence which bus companies are operating commercial bus routes."

Scarborough and Whitby MP - Sir Robert Goodwill - was at the meeting and said that buses continue to be a cause of concern for local residents.

The MP says he's getting two main complains from his constituents.

Speaking about the reductions to some bus services Sir Robert said it doesn't make sense to run services that people aren't using.

Arriva made changes to the 95 and 96 services between Whitby and Lealholmside earlier in the year reducing the frequency to hourly for off peak services and removing the Sunday service.