Passengers are being hit by emergency cutbacks to York bus services due to a driver shortage.
City councillors have been briefed that First York is making temporary ‘emergency’ service reductions on routes 1, 4, 6 and 12 from Saturday (28 August).
The move has been prompted by a severe shortage of qualified driving staff “due to the effects of Covid and Brexit”.
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The briefing note suggests that these emergency service reductions will be for three to four weeks initially.
But it adds that “even with First’s recruitment drive, the time taken to train new driving staff makes it likely that staff shortages will persist well into the autumn/winter, so this issue is likely to remain problematic beyond the initial 3-4 week timescale”.
The worst affected service will be the number 12, which connects Foxwood, Acomb Park, Woodthorpe and Askham Bar with the city centre and then on to Monks Cross. It will run every hour, rather than every 35 minutes.
The frequency of the number 1 (Chapelfields to Wigginton) will reduce from 12 to 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, with minor reductions to early morning and evening journeys.
And the number 4 (Acomb to the city centre) will run every 20 minutes Saturday daytime, rather than every 15 minutes.
Urgent meeting
Liberal Democrat councillors are seeking an urgent meeting with the managing director of First York Ian Humphreys to discuss the situation.
Lib Dem councillor for Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Stephen Fenton said: “The number 12 provides a vital service for many residents in Woodthorpe, Acomb Park and Foxwood.
“Many users of the service are elderly residents, key workers and students who have no realistic alternative means of getting to shops, work or school. And with Woodthorpe’s GP surgery currently shut, the bus is a vital link for residents who are having to travel to the York Medical Group’s surgery in Acomb.
“We all know that the driver shortage, caused by Brexit and Covid, has had a severe impact on many sectors such as logistics and waste collections, and it is good to hear that First are taking steps to recruit new drivers.
“But I am concerned at the suggestion that residents are likely to face a much diminished bus service for many weeks – possibly months.”
More pay for drivers
First York today announced plans to tackle the driver shortage. The operator has improved pay for drivers with the Unite union to strengthen recruitment and retention.
It says the emergency reductions of bus services are on routes where passenger levels are currently lower, to minimise disruption.
MD Ian Humphreys said: “There is a national shortage of labour across the service sector, impacting on the availability of staff and our business here in York is no exception.
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“I would like to offer my sincere apologies to our customers who may have been impacted by this and give them my commitment that we are doing all we can to minimise any disruption.
“To ensure we can maintain connections and to improve reliability, were making some temporary frequency reductions which we will look to restore as soon as possible.
“We have also launched a new retention and recruitment drive with an hourly rate increase to attract new people into the industry and improve pay for our existing drivers to recognise the contribution they have made over the past year and to help keep talent in the company.”