(27 Feb 2025, 2:12 pm)Storx wrote Aye no arguments on the reasons for it - I agree, but I have a fear that there's no funding for it - at all. Like if Westminister guaranteed the money for 10 years, without any way of cancelling it, then fair play as it's risk free but they're not even commiting to finishing the Tyne Bridge works, or the future BSIP funds as it is. What happens next year when the government decides that the cost cutting is coming from the BSIP fund because of the black hole, inflation or whatever reason they have this week?

I really wouldn't be surprised to see it happen either and then the whole thing is screwed as you'll either have to find money from the council who don't have a pot to piss in or go on a severe cut down of costs and we're back to square one anyway - potentially even worse.

Kim doesn't help that she bows down to her masters at ever opportunity and won't criticise Labour HQ either mind. Her response to the slashing of the funds to Durham was just downright weak and like others have said in the past this is the same area that celebrating getting a small chunk of the money they wanted under BSIP in the first place.

Least in the current case if the money dried up it would only be a few mostly unused services impacted, not the whole network. Not saying that's good mind but it's the best of the worst. Obviously in an ideal world this wouldn't be an issue as the state would treat transport as a service not a cost for the economic benefits you mentioned.

What do you do then, invest in nothing for fear it may be cut? Communities are literally being abandoned because of substandard bus services, yet they remain the most used form of public transport in the country.

Both TVCA and NECA are funded directly from Government, and with exception of the historic arrangement on the Transport Levy in Tyne and Wear, it's without a penny coming from Council budgets. 

Kim's inability to stand up to Labour HQ is another story, and one for another thread...!