People across the county have been left feeling frustrated following Arriva’s latest round of bus cuts.
The operator has confirmed that a number of routes across the Wakefield district will be axed or reduced from the beginning of October.
Wakefield Council’s Cabinet member for planning and highways, Matthew Morley, has slammed the latest cuts, describing the situation as a “complete nightmare”. He said: “After 6 o’clock you can’t get out of some of the villages. The only alternative now is to start getting taxis. It’s a massive cost increase.”
Unison member Becky Robertson also shared similar frustrations, as she relies heavily on the service, and fears those in rural areas will be left feeling isolated due to the bus reductions. Becky said: “Buses are an essential part of allowing working-class people to work, to get an education, to socialise, and to not feel isolated.”
She said the axing of more services will devastate rural communities. She added: “Any cuts on the bus service is an attack to the social infrastructure in society”.
The cuts have been particularly felt by the elderly community across West Yorkshire. Pensioner Norman Smith spoke of the crippling impact the bus cuts will have on those travelling to medical appointments across the county, describing it as an “absolute scandal”.
Former bus driver, and member of the Unite union, Steve Johnson, believes the solution is to return the bus service to public control. He said those currently in charge of the service are only interested in profit and providing a “glorified service”. He said: “the solution is for the drivers and engineers to run the system themselves
“If they just let people on and let people off, it would be far less stress for the driver, and much better service. Free travel, ownership by the state, run by the workers. It’s simple.”
