STAGECOACH has received a formal warning over failure to sufficiently operate numerous bus services throughout Cumbria.
A public inquiry, held on April 30, raised complaints from members of the public and Parliament leading to a subsequent Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) investigation.
The services in question included:
- Service 5, North Scale to Barrow
- Service 30, Maryport to Frizington
- Service 50, Moorclose to Workington
- Service X5, Workington to Keswick
- Service 685, Carlisle to Newcastle (which operates between Haltwhistle and Hexham)
A Bus Compliance Assessment Report (BCAR) showed that figures for the North West were below 95 per cent, falling outside the 'window of tolerance'.
At the inquiry, the deputy traffic commissioner acknowledged the complexities of bus operation and the region-specific challenges the operator is facing.
This includes recruitment and retention issues for drivers and skilled mechanics in the region.
The report highlighted that the operator has been active in addressing these issues through fleet investment and recruitment efforts, demonstrating improvements.
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Deputy traffic commissioner for the north west (DTC), Fiona Harrington, said: "The operator explained to me the particular challenges faced by any operator operating in its geographic area that had been identified by it as material contributing factors in the lost mileage and punctuality issues - relating to driver availability and a shortage of skilled mechanics to repair and maintain its fleet.
"I found the steps described as taken and being taken by the operator to address these particular issues affecting this region, as well as substantial investment in new vehicles, to be compelling and consistent with an operator taking reasonable steps to address the problems it has identified through its own various continuous methods of performance monitoring," she said.
There has been some improvement since the inquiry, notably on service 685 which runs from Carlisle to Newcastle, with timetable changes.
"This operator takes the matter of service provision very seriously and acknowledges that the viability of its business requires ongoing patronage of its customers for whom affordability and reliability are key performance indicators," Ms Harrington said.
Stagecoach is warned that in the event of future reasoned complaints, additional monitoring by DVSA will be required, with the potential for further action taken if remedial measures are not demonstrated.
Stagecoach highlighted that since the inquiry, bus services in the area are now 'operating at their most reliable level since Covid'.
A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "We have received the decision from the Traffic Commissioner and have been working hard to improve services across Cumbria.
"We have made significant progress in the last eight weeks, and our services are now operating at their most reliable level since Covid.
"We are committed to working with our local authority partners to ensure these improvements continue and are sustained."
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