Dringhouses & Woodthorpe’s Lib Dem councillors have welcomed the approval by the council of a longer-term contract for the number 12 bus service, which was at risk of being axed from 1st April.
A short-term contract had secured the service until the end of this month, to allow time for the council to undertake a tender exercise for a longer-term contract. This has now been completed, with the number 12 to continue to operate on an hourly basis. The operator will receive financial support of £984 per day, equivalent to £297k per annum, to keep the number 12 running until at least the end of March 2025.
A campaign launched by local Lib Dem councillors and campaigners to save the service led to hundreds of residents signing a petition, with a well-attended public meeting being held in December at which residents could have their say.
Councillors have committed to working with the operator to help make the number 12 service a success. The Decision Notice which confirms the agreement of a longer-term contract can be viewed HERE and confirms that in order to mitigate the issues for school children, conversations will be had with the operator on whether some minor change to the timetable will reduce the time impact on school children.
The fact that there is a mutual three-month break clause also means that if the Government funding situation is clarified, discussions can be had with the operator about increasing frequency of this and other services.
Lib Dem Councillor for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Stephen Fenton commented:
“I’m delighted that the council has stepped in to secure the longer term future of the number 12 route. This will come as a major relief to many hundreds of residents in Woodthorpe, Acomb Park and Foxwood who were facing the loss of their only public transport service.
“Speaking to residents over the last few months, it has become clear just how important the service is for many residents who use it to get to the shops, to work, to medical appointments, to school and to meet friends and family.
“Whilst this intervention by the council is very welcome, it’s clear that repeated last minute short-term Government funding extensions are no substitute for a sustainable long term approach to supporting bus services.”