BUS USERS in Conwy face rising fares and service cuts after the Welsh Government slashed the County Council’s public transport grants by 27%.
The authority’s Local Transport Services Grant and Bus Service Operators Grant for 2012/13 has been reduced from £401,588 to £292,064, a drop of £109,524.
Cllr Goronwy Edwards, Conwy Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said he was “extremely disappointed” at the drop in funding, and indicated that changes to services across the county would be announced within the week.
“We are extremely disappointed with this significant and unexpected cut in the Local Transport Services Grant, especially coming on top of cuts to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and Community Transport Funding,” he said.
“The subsidised services we offer provide a vital lifeline for many communities in order to access workplaces, education, healthcare and many other services.
“We will strive to continue to offer those services where possible, and to minimise the effect on customers especially in rural areas.
“However due to the short amount of time allowed to deal with these significant cuts we have had to react quickly and further proposed changes to local bus services will be announced this week.”
The cut in funding is likely to cause an increase in bus fares and see a number of services affected, and a spokesperson for Arriva Bus Wales said that they were working with the council to assess the impact of the cuts.
“We are working closely with the local authorities in Wales and have been for some time to understand the impacts of the proposed reductions on our tendered and commercial network.
“No decisions have yet been made but we are fully involved in those discussions.”
The Welsh Local Government Authority, which represents councils across the country, said they were “disappointed” by the cuts, which the Welsh Governement claim are necessary in the harsh economic climate.
A spokesperson said: “Whilst cuts were expected, the severity of the cuts was unforeseen and local authorities are now warning that the affect on services is likely to be severe.