Future of Leeds bus services remain in doubt despite £80m recovery grant funding reprieve

The Department of Transport announced a late £80 million package for bus operators on Friday afternoon, which extends current funding up until the end of June.

Plans also included a further £75 million funding so that bus operators can continue to cap single bus fares outside of London at £2 until the end of June.

It comes after bus operators and local leaders warned that there could be drastic cuts to local services if funding expired.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin welcomed the extension but admitted it could prove to be too little too late.

She said: “I’m relieved that the government has finally listened to the Mayors and taken action to stop some bus services from being axed in our regions. But this eleventh hour response has come too late for some communities, with some bus operators announcing further cuts to services today.

“We need a sustainable, long-term funding plan to save buses across the UK, not a sticking plaster. The government must address this immediately and use the time it has bought with today’s announcement to make real change.”

It emerged last week that seven routes across the region were at risk of being axed, and a further 35 in line for timetable cuts at the end of March when the emergency grants were originally set to expire.

However, it’s understood news of the extension may have come too late to prevent around a third of the route cutbacks that were due to be made.