(20 Aug 2022, 7:40 pm)Adrian wrote The funding is of course welcome, but again it is putting a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. This problem isn't going to go away when this lot of funding runs out, we'll be back to square one again lobbying for it to continue and so on. 

The system is completely broken. The bus recovery grant isn't protecting services, because those services are getting cut regardless, so it's simply slowing down the rate of cuts. Might as well be urinating in the direction of the wind.

The driving shortage is of course a massive concern. Whilst I think there's a big question mark over FTE shortage vs long-term sick, operators do still appear to be struggling to attract people into the industry. It's not surprising either, when the rates of pay really aren't competitive with similar jobs. Amazon van drivers are apparently on £13-£17, for what is likely a much easier life with better shifts. 

There'll of course be the argument that operators can't afford to pay decent wages and so on, but one of the large operators is paying their CEO around £8,000 a month in relocation allowances, so the money is there when they want to spend it...


I'll not go over old arguments, but it makes you wonder where the business plan was to extend some of those routes (e.g. X1 and 8) in the first place. 

The last 8 Chester-le-Street to Washington and Sunderland was 21.49 pre-changes... it's now at 16.55!