Majority of council-backed bus services set to continue serving local communities

Majority of council-backed bus services set to continue serving local communities

A number of the bus services funded by Essex County Council are set to continue following a recent public consultation.

The 41 services under review are some of those Essex County Council currently funds and which together make up around 15% of the bus services delivered in Essex.

These services are provided by the council where there is no commercial service but there is a need to help residents stay connected. Currently around £11 million of taxpayers’ money is spent on council-backed bus services.

Council-funded bus services are kept under regular review to ensure value for money, which is measured at £5 cost to the taxpayer for each journey made by a passenger.

The consultation looked specifically at:

• Continuing services as they are now
• Redesigning services to better reflect how they are used (for example the days of operation, routes, number of journeys and/or the timetable)
• Returning some services to commercial operation.

Following the consultation, 32 of these services will continue and an operator will be found to run them. Many of these services were found to have grown significantly in terms of passenger numbers and usage or are expected to grow further over the next two years.

Of the services consulted on, two services were found not to be financially sustainable as they are underused by their communities. Even with significant taxpayer funding it was deemed unlikely they would become financially viable in the future.

Seven further services were above the levels at which taxpayer support is provided and the commercial operator declined to take them on. There will be another consultation on these nine services proposing their withdrawal.

Essex County Councillor Mark Platt, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport, said:

“Bus services can be a lifeline for many, connecting residents to their local and neighbouring communities, to work and to families and friends. It’s right that we do what we can to ensure these connections remain in place but also balance that against ensuring we are getting value for the taxpayer pounds that support them.

“I’m pleased many of the services we reviewed will be able to continue and provide residents in these communities with a choice around how they travel. For those services we are withdrawing, it is not an easy decision, and passengers will be able to engage with us on this through local consultations.”

Essex County Councillor Laureen Shaw, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport, said:

“Ensuring residents can rely on safe, accessible and well‑used bus services remains a priority for us.

“The feedback we received through the consultation has been vital in shaping which routes continue, and it’s encouraging to see strong passenger growth on so many services.

“It is difficult to take the decision to withdraw some services, and we know the small number of residents who use them will be disappointed. Our focus now is on supporting routes where demand is increasing and where buses can continue to play an essential role in helping people stay connected to work, education and vital services.”