Staffordshire bus firm D&G blames loss of subsidies for service cuts

Loss of subsidies have been blamed for one bus route being scrapped and another being changed.

Staffordshire bus operator D&G said cuts to payments for elderly and disabled passengers from Stoke-on-Trent City Council had led to the decision.

The 23 route, which covers Hanley, Stoke and Blurton on Sundays and bank holidays, will stop from 25 June.

The council said it reimbursed bus companies in line with usage and was adhering to government guidelines.

From 2 July, there will also be a timetable changes for route 2 from Hanley to Birches Head and 43 from Hanley to Baddeley Green via Milton.

D&G said government guidelines stated councils should maintain payments at pre-Covid levels but, while Cheshire East and Derbyshire had done this, Stoke-on-Trent City Council had not.

The bus operator said income had fallen by 30% since 1 April as a result.

Amjid Wazir, the Stoke-on-Trent councillor responsible for environment and enforcement, said the authority reimbursed bus operators in line with usage and "complies with the safety net level of 70% minimum payments should passenger numbers not meet this".

"We consulted with operators and received no challenge to the 70% proposals," he added.

"We feel that this is a fair use of public money and fully in line with government guidance."

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