MPs fight Arriva bus cuts

MPs across Cheshire are campaigning to halt Arriva’s proposals to close bus depots in Macclesfield and Winsford.

Arriva North West’s decision could mean the company would no longer operate any bus services in or around Macclesfield, Crewe, Northwich and Winsford.

A number of conservative MPs met with the Minister for Buses, Richard Holden, to address constituents’ concerns.

Nationally, there has been a 20 per cent drop in bus usage since the Covid-19 pandemic, but on Arriva Cheshire routes this has been as high as 45 per cent.

Members of Parliament David Rutley (Macclesfield), Fiona Bruce (Congleton), Kieran Mullan (Crewe and Nantwich) and Edward Timpson (Eddisbury) represented their collective views at a meeting with the minister in Parliament, together with Arriva.

Whilst Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils have said they will not step in to run these services D&G and Stagecoach have declared their intentions to take on a number of routes.

In an answer to a Parliamentary question from Edward Timpson on Monday, the Minister for Buses disclosed that, since 2013, Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils have received an annual payment of £347,865 and £314,318 respectively through the Bus Service Operators Grant.

Cheshire East Council also received £2.2 million since March 2020 to support services through the pandemic, of which they were paid £1,284,863 via Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant, £534,874 via Bus Recovery Grant, and £382,682 from the Local Transport Fund.

Cheshire West and Chester Council were paid almost £1.5 million since March 2020 to support services through the pandemic, of which they were paid £721,690 via Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant, £433,300 via Bus Recovery Grant and £339,672 from the Local Transport Fund.

Edward Timpson CBE KC, MP for Eddisbury, added: “We’re pleased that a combination of private sector offers and political intervention has resulted in a positive outlook for the affected routes, and of course local authorities must do their duty in ensuring this is carried through.”