Following the announcement of the introduction of an emergency temporary timetable for the services 1, 4, 6 & 12, Liberal Democrat councillors representing the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, Westfield and Huntington & New Earswick wards met with First York Managing Director, Ian Humphreys, on Wednesday 25 August.

It was a constructive meeting in which Mr Humphreys set out the challenges that have led to the temporary reduction in service frequency on some routes. We stressed the importance of these service for local residents, for many of whom the bus is their only way to get around, and that residents need to have confidence in the service.

We heard that the timetable changes being made are an emergency response to the current driver shortage and are designed to build in more reliability, albeit with reduced frequency, as an attempt to overcome the need to cancel services at short notice as has happened recently.

We received an assurance that the number 12 service will be a priority for restoration to the previous timetable when there is resource available. In response to concerns we raised about the ability of a reduced service to cope with demand in the morning peak period in particular, we were assured that the number 12 will be a priority for additional capacity to be added in these peak periods if demand indicates that this is needed.

We asked that the operation of the temporary timetable for the number 12 – and the changes which see the ‘Woodthorpe Loop’ removed from Foxwood-bound journeys and Woodthorpe Shops established as the new terminus – are carefully monitored and changes considered where it becomes apparent that this is needed.

We stressed the importance of clear and timely communication, for example explaining the changes being made rather than just issuing a timetable with no accompanying explanation.