Councillors are considering continuing to top up subsidies to keep local buses running – but have urged people to make sure they use services.
The Department for Transport has already confirmed that Covid subsidies for operators will be extended for a further six months from April, but Staffordshire County Council says it may also continue offering financial support until the end of September.
Over the past two years, the authority has paid the pre-pandemic rate of £7million per year for concessionary travel even though passenger numbers have been lower.
Cllr David Williams, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said:
“Passenger numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels and the Government subsidy is essential to maintaining services in the county, which otherwise would have been under threat of closure.
“The county council does not run bus services but has been doing all it can during difficult times to help operators locally.
“We are willing to carry on paying local operators the full concessionary rate for another half-year if they are maintaining routes and show us how they are encouraging passengers to return so that services can become self-sustaining.”
Cllr David Williams, Staffordshire County Council
The announcement by the Department for Transport says the final Covid-19 support package will provide support for the development of “new, effective, financially sustainable networks that cater for the needs of the local public”.
The proposal to extend full payment of the concessionary fare scheme until the end of September, subject to operators promoting use, will be considered at next week’s meeting of the authority’s cabinet.
Cllr Williams said it was important local routes were used by passengers in order to ensure they remain viable:
“Around 95% of bus services in Staffordshire are entirely commercial and usually there is only a little that the council can do to influence their operation.
“Many people rely on these services for work, study and socialising and their loss would badly affect the county, so we are keen to work with the bus operators to help the network.
“These subsidies will not last indefinitely and I would urge former passengers to return and support their local routes.”
Cllr David Williams, Staffordshire County Council
