Switching off bus notices will be false economy, says group

Proposed cuts to bus services have been described as a “false economy” by campaigners.

Oxfordshire County Council has already consulted people on the possibility of scrapping subsidies to some routes in a bid to save £1.22m.

Yesterday it was revealed the authority may also turn off the electronic signs which tell waiting passengers when the next bus will arrive.

If approved by councillors this could save £140,000 out of an estimated £50m the council may have to axe from its budget.

But Bus Users Oxford chairman Hugh Jaeger, who took part in a protest at County Hall yesterday against bus subsidies being cut, said the service was vital.

He said: “People value those signs. You only have to listen to people demanding them at stops that do not already have them.

“Not everyone has a mobile phone to check the times on, or has credit, or can get reception at a particular stop.

“Not having those signs could discourage people from using the bus.

“The sign is a form of reassurance that the network is working properly. For such a small saving it is a false economy.”

Mr Jaeger joined protestors who want subsidies to continue on Stagecoach’s 17 bus between Cutteslowe and Oxford city centre via Jericho.

More than 100 bus routes in the county which would not otherwise be commercially viable are supported by the county council.

Mr Jaeger said: “We would like every possible saving to minimise the cuts to subsidised bus services.

“But cutting funding for electronic signs seems like a very silly way to put people off the more attractive bus routes.”

Mr Jaeger suggested the bus companies could be asked to provide some, or all, of the cost of operating the signs.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said the authority would seek money from bus companies for this and added that if councillors took up the option to cut funding it would not come into effect until the 2018/19 financial year.

During the county council’s cabinet meeting yesterday, Jean Fooks, councillor for Wolvercote and Summertown, and Susanna Pressel, councillor for Jericho and Osney, presented a petition signed by members of the bus-travelling public calling for the 17 bus to keep its subsidy.

Ms Pressel said: “People in Jericho are horrified at the thought they might lose their bus service.

“Many of them, especially older people and people with disabilities, depend on the bus to get them into town and to other parts of the city and county. It is a lifeline for them.

“I only hope the county council cabinet will listen and will decide not to cut the number 17 bus.”

A public consultation into the proposals for up to £52.5m of savings, including on the buses, began yesterday to run until November 30.

The proposals will then be examined by county council committees and the cabinet before being put to a vote on February 16.

County council leader Ian Hudspeth stressed £52.5m of cuts would be “a worst-case scenario”.

He said: “The council will have to make some difficult decisions about local services but in Oxfordshire we have already seen communities willing and able to take over where funding has been reduced.

“Half of our budget already goes on helping the most vulnerable two per cent of the population.

“Unfortunately, we need to save money from other services to fund those services, providing a safety net for the vulnerable.”

Karen Coventry, business development manager at Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, said: “We are currently in discussions with Oxfordshire Country Council to try to work out the best way forward.”

Luke Marion, finance director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “The suggestion that the bus companies should now pick up the full running costs of the system has come without warning.

“The county council only told us of their plans last week, and we are still considering our response.

“The contribution requested by the council is a significant sum. It equates to £250k over four years for our company.”