THE leader of Warrington Borough Council has praised the town’s bus services for providing services which would not be provided by a larger bus group without a council subsidy.
Cllr Terry O’Neill (pictured) says Network Warrington – which recently reported it had returned to profitable operation – is providing a “social dividend.”
He was responding to questions from Cllr Kevin Bennett, the former Labour councillor who now represents the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) who asked if Network Warrington was providing a good bus service and good value for money for the people of Warrington.
Cllr O’Neill said Network Warrington were a well-respected, professional and reliable provider of local bus services.
“The majority of services they provide are wholly commercial – that is, do not attract any council funding aside from reimbursement for concessionary travel journeys.
“The passenger use of the bus service network rose annually until April 2011, reaching a height of over nine million trips, which ‘bucked’ the national trend for several years previously,” said Cllr O’Neill.
“Unfortunately, Network Warrington have experienced significant annual reductions in patronage for the last three years.. The total number of passengers in the year ending March 2014 was just over seven million – a fall over three years of 22 per cent. The last year in which annual patronage was seven million journeys was 2005-06.
“This significant reduction has resulted in the need for Network Warrington to realign their operations in terms of which services to provide, at what frequency and within which fare structure.
“The company has recently reported that it returned to profitable operation, by month, during the third warter of 2014-15.
“Network Warrington continues to provide a number of services commercially which would not be operated by a larger bus group without the receipt of council revenue support, therefore they are providing a social dividend.”
Bus company praised for its “social dividend”
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I would like to ask Cllr O’Neill wsho actually owns Network Warrington. I am hearing seemingly conflicting reports. I was always told the council was its only shareholder after deregulation in 1986. But recently a driver told me (rightly or wrongly) that the council had a 51% stake (i.e. majority share), suggesting somebody else owned the other 49%. As a website editor who strives for accurate reporting, and features the local bus companies on that website, I obviously don’t want to present incorrect information.
Who would be surprised to hear that less people are using Network Warrington buses considering the fare increases? A day rover is now £5.50 yet Halton bus service charge only £3.80 and they are also planning to increase their services. Cheaper fares and actually running on time might encourage people to use the bus service.
Also putting up to date timetables at the bus stops would help. The timetables have changed so often the cost of repeatedly printing new ones must be eating into their profits.
I wonder who pays for the electricity to run the bus shelter info boards? they don’t display the up to date information so why don’t they just turn them off?