Services halved and five routes scrapped per day in bus ‘death spiral’

The Liberal Democrats claim the UKs bus services are in a “death spiral” with an average of five routes scrapped each day.

They claim that 10,000 routes have been cut in five years between 2019 and 2024, meaning that the total number of services has halved.

The West Midlands is the most impacted, with 72 per cent of services cut in the region since 2019. This is followed by the North West where 52 per cent of services have been cut.

The party are continuing to call on the government to reverse the £3 bus fare cap rise despite a Lib Dem amendment to return the cap to £2 being rejected by Conservative and Labour peers in the House of Lords earlier this month.

The Lib Dems are also proposing the implementation of a Young Person’s Buscard, similarly to the Young Person’s Railcard to give people aged 19 to 25 a third off bus and tram fares.

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “For so many people buses are an absolute lifeline, allowing them to get to school, work, shops or the hospital. But vital local bus services are in a death spiral, with rural communities particularly badly hit as routes are slashed.

“We have had years of Conservative neglect, and now Labour’s damaging £3 bus tax is hitting people in the pocket who rely on public transport to get around.

“The government needs to scrap their £3 bus fare hike and invest in rescuing bus services on the brink. Every vote for the Liberal Democrats at the local elections on 1st May is a vote for a strong local champion who will fight for the local services communities need.”