CUMBERLAND Council has formally raised concerns about the performance of local bus services with the Traffic Commissioner following ongoing complaints from passengers across the county.
The authority said it had taken the step after continued issues relating to reliability, punctuality, cancellations and short-notice service changes.
Council leaders said the problems were affecting residents who rely on buses to access work, education, healthcare and other essential services.
The council added it had repeatedly raised concerns publicly and directly with operator Stagecoach, but despite ongoing engagement, problems had continued.
A statement issued by the authority said the volume and nature of complaints from residents had also placed 'significant strain' on council resources, with officers and councillors regularly responding to concerns and supporting affected passengers.
Cumberland councillor Denise Rollo, executive member for sustainable, resilient and connected places, said: “Writing to the Traffic Commissioner is not something I ever wanted to do, but we have reached a point where further action is necessary.
“We have worked constructively with Stagecoach over a prolonged period and remain committed to working with them to get this right for our residents. However, the current level of service is not meeting people’s expectations.
“We want to see improvements, and we will continue to work with all partners to achieve a more reliable and resilient network.”
The council has asked the Traffic Commissioner to review whether Stagecoach is meeting its registered service obligations, including adherence to timetables, operational resilience and the ability to deliver a consistent level of service across the network.
The move comes amid wider concerns about disruption affecting bus services in Carlisle in recent days.
Responding to the council’s decision to contact the Traffic Commissioner, Stagecoach Cumbria and Lancashire managing director Tom Waterhouse said the operator remained committed to improving reliability, but said roadworks and congestion continued to create difficult operating conditions across Cumberland.
He said: "We take our responsibility to deliver reliable and dependable bus services to communities across Cumberland extremely seriously.
“However, operating bus services in the county continues to present significant challenges, with extensive short-term roadworks, congestion and highway disruption regularly affecting journey times and the reliability of services.
“The severe delays experienced across Carlisle this week are a clear example of the difficult operating conditions our teams are working through daily. We’re very sorry for the impact this disruption is having on customers and fully recognise the frustration caused when services are delayed.”
Mr Waterhouse said Stagecoach disputed "the nature of the alleged failings" referenced by the council but said the operator wanted to continue working collaboratively with the authority.
He added: “We continue to believe that strong partnership working between highway authorities and bus operators is the most effective way to deliver reliable and dependable services for people across Cumberland.”
Stagecoach also said it had written to councillor Denise Rollo earlier this year outlining concerns and proposals for closer joint working, and would welcome further discussions with the council on practical solutions to improve services for passengers.
The council said it remains in direct discussions with Stagecoach to better understand the issues affecting services and identify potential solutions.
Share