Bus services axed

Photo: Journeaux

Buses at Rochdale Transport Interchange

More than 50 subsidised bus services in Greater Manchester have been withdrawn or reduced during the last year. Twenty-two services have been totally withdrawn since July 2014 with a another 29 reduced in some way.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which oversees public transport in the region, said the cuts had been made because of reduced funding but it is committed to protecting essential services within the limited budget available - TfGM has seen a 3% reduction in funding.

The budget for supported bus services has been reduced by £7.1 million during the last two years.

Savings are being achieved by removing the subsidies which commercial bus companies receive to run night buses, and by "rationalisation of existing services".

TfGM is also attempting to persuade operators to take on "marginal commercial" services and redesigning services so "maximum value" is obtained from subsidies.

Of Greater Manchester's 950 bus services, 275 are subsidised by the public transport body.

From July 2014 to July 2015, TfGM pledged to continue 177 subsidised services with contracts either being extended or awarded to a different bus company.

Over the next 12 months a further 130 subsidised services will be up for renewal.

TfGM said: "We will continue to undertake a rigorous, case-by-case review of every bus journey we pay for."