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Urgent call to take our buses back into public ownership as journey numbers hit 12-year low

IT’S time to take back control of Britain’s ailing bus networks, transport workers and MPs are demanding as new research showed bus journeys at a 12-year low.

Department for Transport figures published today show 1.2 billion local bus journeys were made between April and June in Britain — a 10 per cent decrease since the peak of 1.33 billion between July and September 2008.

Demand for bus travel has not been this low since the beginning of 2006.

Since the peak 10 years ago, fares have soared by a whopping 55 per cent.

A recent study by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) found that funding for supported buses has almost halved in the last eight years, leaving passengers stranded across Britain.

Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle led calls for a shake-up yesterday, saying the cuts had “huge social ramifications.” Routes which now have just one bus a day were leaving victims and perpetrators travelling to court on the same buses, he said.

“Since bus deregulation in England outside of London, we have seen year-on-year declining use propped up by subsidies from councils,” Mr Russell-Moyle told the Star.

“Thanks to austerity, councils have withdrawn those subsidised bus routes, and communities are becoming cut off.

“Everyone ends up losing apart from [Stagecoach chairman] Brian Souter and a few friends.”

The MP, whose Brighton Kemptown constituency is one of few areas with a single private bus operator rather than competing privateers, called for “at the very least, London-style regulation from our local authorities.” But he argued that councils should “have the ability to run services for themselves.”

Council bus budgets in England and Wales were slashed by £20.5 million last year, the eighth consecutive annual cut.

Transport union RMT said a “toxic combination” of fare increases, service cuts and privatisation had “decimated Britain's bus network, condemning tens of thousands to lives of isolation and ‎transport poverty.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash blasted: “Entire communities have been cut adrift as‎ lifeline bus services have been savaged.

“There is a crisis on Britain’s buses. It can only be resolved by rolling back the wholesale privatisation of the industry and investing in integrated and planned public transport services that leave no one behind.”

CBT chief executive Darren Shirley urged the government to use its October 29 Budget to halt the “trend of cutting support” for buses.

He said: “"The falling number of passengers taking the bus is a consequence of continued cuts in funding to support services.

“Nationally and locally this is resulting in fewer services and higher fares.

“They are vital for the economy and the environment but year-on-year, people — especially in rural areas — are losing their bus service, making it difficult to access jobs, education and other essential public services.”

Local Government Assoiation transport spokesman Martin Tett said: “It is hugely concerning to see such a steady decrease in bus journeys.

“It's nearly impossible for councils to keep subsidising free travel while having to find billions of pounds worth of savings and protect other vital services like caring for the elderly, filling potholes and collecting bins.”

A government spokeswoman said: “We recognise that buses are vital in connecting people, homes and businesses, and that's why we have given local councils extra powers to work in partnership with bus companies to improve the services passengers expect.”

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