Published at 14:29, Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Thirty jobs will go at a Cumbrian bus firm when it slashes services next month.

Chris Reay

Reays Coaches of Wigton is to stop running its numbers 63, 63a, 64 and 70 City Hopper routes in Carlisle.

The firm says the move - on a date to be confirmed by the Traffic Commissioner - will lead to the 30 losses, mainly drivers.

Managing director Chris Reay said the decision had been taken with "deep regret and sadness" but he had no alternative.

Particular routes had not performed as expected and the City Hopper services had been placed under pressure by rival operator Stagecoach.

Staff were told about the decision at a meeting at the company’s Carlisle depot off London Road yesterday.

Reays says its 64a and 75 City Hopper routes will continue and it has plans to improve the 75 route between Dalston and Cotehill via the city centre.

All Reays’ other public bus services in Carlisle and elsewhere across Cumbria remain unaffected. The company’s travel centre in the city centre will remain open.

Its private hire coaches and school bus services will continue to operate as normal.

The company's bus operation will focus more on rural routes and other services linking towns, cities and the Lake District.

The firm added it expects to create 15 jobs this year at its depots in Egremont and Penrith due to the expansion of services.

Reays Coaches - named best independent operator at the 2011 UK Bus Awards - employs 150 staff. It employed 80 before City Hopper was launched in October 2010.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk