Arriva has confirmed plans for additional cuts to bus services across West Yorkshire, citing an ongoing driver shortage as the primary reason.
The changes, set to take effect from 5 January, will impact key areas including Wakefield, Leeds, Pontefract, and Ossett, with reductions in frequency and evening services.
Under the new schedule, the 122 bus route will be shortened, running only between Wakefield and Ossett, instead of extending to Gawthorpe.
Similarly, the 135/136 services connecting Pontefract and Chequerfield will see their frequency halved, operating every 30 minutes instead of every 15.
Arriva has also announced the cancellation of additional evening journeys introduced earlier this year due to low passenger numbers, returning evening schedules to previous levels. Other adjustments include:
The 444/446 services starting from Leeds City Bus Station rather than City Square.
The 164 service between Leeds and Selby operating hourly instead of every two hours.
Despite recruiting over 300 drivers in 2023, Arriva says the measures are necessary to stabilise services amid the driver shortage.
In a statement, the operator explained, “Following a comprehensive review of the usage of every journey on the network, some of the least used journeys will no longer run, and some have been amended.”
The decision has drawn criticism from local leaders and passengers. Earlier this month, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin described bus services in Wakefield as a “terrible service,” highlighting the frustration felt by residents.
Kim Cain, Area Director for Arriva Yorkshire, acknowledged the challenges, stating: “We know how important our bus services are to the communities in Yorkshire we serve and we are sorry that they have not been performing at the levels that passengers rightly expect.
“We are determined to change this and have been working closely with local transport authority partners to develop a robust plan with service changes so that we are able to deliver a reliable timetable that our passengers can have confidence in.”
Arriva aims to implement these changes to ensure a more consistent service across West Yorkshire, promising a timetable that passengers can depend on.
However, the reductions may leave some communities with fewer transportation options, raising concerns about long-term impacts on connectivity in the region.
