REDDITCH Labour group have hit out at the boroughs bus operator, Diamond buses, after they announced they would not be participating in the £2 bus fare cap.
Redditch Labour said that they would like to see the reintroduction of a regulated bus service.
“We want a service that is run for people and not for profit.
“Public controlled franchising is being successfully pioneered in Manchester with their new Bee Network.
“This system awards contracts subject to affordable fares and reliability – the two key issues which Worcestershire needs to address across the county.
“Time to put the passengers in Redditch first.”
Last June, Diamond buses threatened to withdraw 11 bus routes in Redditch, citing only one service was viable.
Following a last minute intervention from Worcestershire County Council the company withdrew its threat, but the bus routes are only guaranteed until March 2023.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Diamond buses said the £2 bus fare cap scheme is too costly, and would leave the company with a huge revenue loss.
“To participate in the scheme means the business would effectively itself have to fund over 20 per cent of the offer to passengers that would not be covered by Government funding.
“We have been in discussion with the DfT regarding this, but unfortunately their position is fixed and therefore this scheme would not be a viable option for us to undertake.”
Worcestershire County Councillor Mike Rouse, portfolio holder for transport at said : “Worcestershire has already intervened in the bus market and we have further measures underway including a new partnership model and more Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) following the successful trial in Bromsgrove.
“Let me be clear, Worcestershire County Council will continue to subside bus services beyond March 2023 – and we have always said we would do this including at the Redditch Bus Travel Task Force that representatives from Redditch Labour attended.”
“Scaremongering about local bus services puts people off using them.
“I would call on Redditch Labour Party and others to be careful not to use this issue as a political football as it is only the people we serve who stand to lose out if political parties undermine public confidence in bus travel.”
