Huddersfield residents force bus boss to back down in cuts meeting

Jun 6 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MANY bus services will be axed across Huddersfield next month.

Transport chiefs meeting in Huddersfield heard First were making service cuts despite seeing their profits rise.

But the company’s regional boss did offer a reprieve to one of the threatened services, after coming under pressure from angry residents.

First had planned to axe the 307 between Huddersfield Bus Station and Newsome – leaving residents of Cross Lane in Primrose Hill without any services.

But the company’s regional managing director Dave Alexander announced a U-turn at the meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall yesterday.

The reversal came after Primrose Hill residents objected to the planned cut at the Kirklees Passenger Consultative Committee meeting.

In May, First announced plans to axe the 307 – which currently runs every 20 minutes – on July 19.

But Mr Alexander told the meeting: “We’ll put on one bus an hour until September.”

Newsome councillor Andrew Cooper welcomed the climbdown. He said: “It’s good that we’ve gone from no service to one service an hour in one meeting.”

Earlier Mr Alexander heard from angry Primrose Hill residents.

Joan Senior said: “I use the service all the time and I want to know why we can’t have a bus service. There are people on Cross Lane who are housebound because they can’t get a bus.”

Jean Goodison from Newsome said: “First should be considering disabled and elderly people. What’s the point of having a bus pass if you can’t use it?

“You might as well throw it in the bin.”

First, which is planning a series of cuts on July 19, was also criticised by councillors at the meeting.

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority chairman Clr Chris Greaves said: “Everyone on this authority was shocked and horrified by the magnitude of these cuts. We’ve asked for more information from First, some of which has not been supplied.

“We’re trying to salvage something from the wreckage.”

Clr Greaves, who sits on Bradford City Council, added that First had made £134m of profit in 2008/09, up 10% on the previous year.

Clr Peter McBride also criticised First. The Dalton Labour man said: “First had to cut 6% across the board in the UK and they have simply done that. They are not responsible to the public in anyway.”

Clr McBride also criticised the company for not consulting with councillors before announcing the cuts.