Arriva announced more bus service cuts in West Yorkshire
It's all because of a shortage of drivers in the region
Last updated 22nd Nov 2024
Arriva has announced further bus service cuts in West Yorkshire due to a shortage of drivers.
The operator said areas including Wakefield, Leeds, Pontefract and Ossett will be affected in the latest changes planned from the start of the new year.
Further cuts to evening services are also planned, along with changes to some school services.
A statement issued by Arriva on Friday (November 22) said: “Despite recruiting more than 300 new drivers since the start of the year, these measures are essential to improve services for customers given the ongoing shortage of drivers.
“Following a comprehensive review of the usage of every journey on the network, some of the least used journeys will no longer run, and some have been amended.
The operator confirmed the following services will be affected from January 5.
– Service 122 will change to run between Wakefield and Ossett only. Another bus operator provides services between Ossett and Gawthorpe covering the section that Arriva will no longer be serving. Because this bus operator does not provide a service on Sundays or evenings, Arriva will continue running to Gawthorpe at these times.
– Service 135/136 Pontefract to Chequerfield will now run every 30 minutes rather than every 15 minutes.
– Service 164 will now connect Leeds and Selby every hour (currently every two hours), replacing most journeys on service 64.
– Service 444/446 will now run from Leeds City Bus Station instead of City Square.
Arriva also said it plans to scrap evening journeys which were added to some timetables in February and July due to “low number of passengers”.
As a result, evening frequencies will revert to previous service levels.
The statement also said some school services will change “but everyone who travels with us to school will still be able to catch a bus”.
Kim Cain, area director for Arriva Yorkshire, said: “We know how important our bus services are to the communities in Yorkshire we serve and we are sorry that they have not been performing at the levels that passengers rightly expect.
“We are determined to change this and have been working closely with local transport authority partners to develop a robust plan with service changes so that we are able to deliver a reliable timetable that our passengers can have confidence in.”
Referring to the driver shortage, Ms Cain said: “We’re always on the lookout for hard working and committed people to join the Arriva Yorkshire team.
“If you’re over 18, have a driving licence and are looking for a rewarding career with a clear path for development, then we want to hear from you.”
Earlier this month, Arriva announced it will not be rebidding for some routes commissions by local transport authorities.
Other bus operators have been found to run tendered services 21/22 Seacroft – Castleford and 571 Halifax – Shelf from 23 February.
Service 212 Dewsbury – Wakefield will be run by an alternative bus operator from January 5.
In October, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), Wakefield Council and MPs were warned by Arriva that it planned to make significant reductions to services.
It came after Arriva closed its Wakefield depot when serious structural problems were discovered at the facility on Barnsley Road.
Ms Brabin told WYCA meeting last month: “Their rationale is driver shortages linked to ongoing issues with Wakefield depot, which has seen buildings on the site condemned.
“Despite the efforts we’ve made to train more than 150 drivers through our adult education budget, sadly only a handful of them have gone to work for Arriva.
“We are in continual regular dialogue with Arriva and have stressed the impact any changes would have on bus passengers across the region.”
Ms Brabin added: “I know this is particularly tough for the residents of Wakefield.
“We are not sitting on our hands. We are already tendering for some services we expect Arriva to hand back so we can put in a new operator straight away.”