Arriva 110 bus issues prompt leading councillor to admit 'much more needs to be done' to improve West Yorkshire services

Coun Peter Carlill, the Deputy Chief of West Yorkshire Transport Committee, has vowed to challenge bus companies about disruptions to services on key routes in Leeds and across the county. His comments were prompted by widespread passenger complaints about the “awful” 110 Arriva bus service between Leeds and Wakefield.

Bus user Simon Poyser previously told the Yorkshire Evening Post how he often arrives at work “drenched wet” after waiting in the rain for buses that do not arrive, leaving him no choice but to pay £15 for a taxi. Arriva has apologised for the inconvenience being caused to passengers like him and said “ongoing and highly unpredictable” roadworks meant it could not effectively alter services to improve reliability.

While roadworks can exacerbate issues on particular routes, driver shortages being seen across the country are also proving to be a significant problem for companies when it comes to providing reliable services.

Former bus driver Ian Brookes said: “Driver shortages are a big problem. I was in the bus industry until about five years ago and I left because of the poor pay, horrid working conditions and constant changes to running times and routes, making it harder still.”

Responding to the complaints from the public, Coun Carlill said: “We have taken important steps to increase the reliability of buses and passenger numbers across West Yorkshire. Our Mayor’s Fares costing just £2 for a single journey have significantly cut the cost of travel for many, and we are helping with recruitment to deal with driver shortages.

“However, much more needs to be done and we will continue to challenge private operators to get this right including by increasing the frequency of services on core routes which people rely on, such as the 110 between Leeds and Wakefield.”

The next significant round of service changes is scheduled to come into effect from February 18, providing bus companies with an opportunity to revise their timetables and routes.