Bus services on routes across Caerphilly County Borough could be scrapped to save money.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is considering axing subsidies for services on nine routes and reducing the frequency of a further four to save a total of £201,020.
The saving includes the already scrapped subsidy for the X38 service of Bargoed to Pontypridd after Glamorgan Bus withdrew the route in February. Also included is a £3,500 contribution to the Beacons Bus Network and a £10,000 security contribution to Blackwood interchange – meaning an end to late night patrols by wardens.
Bus services in Bargoed, Nelson and Ystrad Mynach would be affected – including a route to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.
Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert has asked people to contact him with their comments on the proposed changes before a public consultation ends on April 26.
He said: “Constituents of mine will be concerned to learn about proposed cuts to bus services so it is only right they have their say on this very important matter.
“I realise that Caerphilly County Borough Council isn’t alone in having to make these difficult decisions as the national picture shows other local authorities to be in the same position owing to central Government cuts.
“What I would like to see happen though is for constituents of mine to get in touch with me so I can make representations on their behalf.”
Mr Cuthbert has said he understood that Caerphilly Council wereunder pressure to make savings but that he wanted to be sure the routes selected are the ones that will cause the least disruption for local bus users.
A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said:”The council spends over £1.2 million each year in revenue support to subsidise local bus services. This funding is from its own revenue budgets and also from Local Transport Services Grant, paid to local authorities by the Welsh Government.
“The Welsh Government has made significant cuts (of up to 27% of Grant funding) to the revenue funding available to both local authorities and bus operators which, when combined with lesser but significant cuts to internal budgets that are necessary in the current financial climate, means councils have to ensure spend is maintained within the reduced budget available to them. Whilst this represents a 15% cut in actual spend for Caerphilly, the council has targeted contracts with the lowest usage and highest subsidy per passengers to ensure only around 3% of the 1.5 million passengers using the local bus services supported by the council are directly affected by the changes.
“The proposals have been presented to councillors and are currently under consultation with Community and Town Councils and Community Partnerships. Any reductions in service are regrettable, but the current financial climate and in particular the reduction in funding from the Welsh Government make it impossible to maintain the existing level of service.”
I can understand the council's dilemma, lightly used services and money in short supply. Perhaps rather than reduce bus services the salaries of senior officers could be re-visited and the savings made there?
The recinding of the recent pay awards alone should be able to continue to fund the services in danger of being axed.
Caerphilly cbc need to sort their priorities out bus routes are vital to keep people on the move in and around caerphilly.
There would be less need for bus cuts affecting vulnerable people if senior council staff had not received huge pay rises
This £200k saving is probably less less than the original pay rises, and now the costs incurred in the enquiry into the conduct of CCBC Executives.
It's not central government making the cut. It's a Labour run Assembly and a Labour run Council. So come on then Mr Cuthbert put your money where your mouth is!!
The ` Burghers of the Borough have spoken.
"the council has targeted contracts with the lowest usage and highest subsidy per passengers to ensure only around 3% of the 1.5 million passengers using the local bus services supported by the council are directly affected by the changes".
The record shows that whatever representations are made to elected members, either, personal approaches, of, personal references of people`s difficulties, or, indeed collective representation as in the A & E situation at Ystrad Hospital, that the Burghers we put in charge at the last election will `throw a deaf `un`, judgement day is never far away when it comes to choosing who we want to represent us, roll on that day.
Not everyone has got a car!
If they cant provide rural services to the community, take their contract of em!