South Liverpool bus service under threat?

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th Jun 2009

People in South Liverpool have seen a gradual cutting back on the bus service running from Garston into town along the Riverside Drive route. Last year, the 48a service along Riverside Drive was scrapped by Arriva Buses. It used to have a 20 minute frequency. It was replaced by the 82a. The 82a became a 30 minute frequency. Now, later in the evening, it has become an hourly service.

Cllr Peter Millea, Lib Dem Leader on Merseytravel, has challenged Arriva to state if they intend to withdraw this service altogether. Peter campaigned against the withdrawal of the 48a, and has now reacted angrily to the 82a service reduction.

Merseytravel is controlled by a Tory-Labour coalition, and they have so far resisted Lib Dem calls for buses to be the subject of Quality Contracts. This is Labour Government legislation, which is available for Transport Authorities to take more control over bus services. The Liberal Democrats support this legislation, but it seems that locally Labour and the Tories do not.

While they dither over this, local bus operators continue to cut services and raise fares. Only the Liberal Democrats oppose these measures.