Bus subsidies delay proposed – until end of school term

OXFORDSHIRE County Council’s cabinet is to be asked to approve a plan to delay the end to bus subsidies until after the end of the school year, so as not to affect pupils’ transport to and from school.

A decision on the proposal, for the extension, to July 20, will be made on March 15.

Background

On November 10, 2015, OCC’s cabinet met to consider public feedback to the subsidised bus service and Dial-a-Ride service proposals that were put forward in a consultation held between June 19 and September 15, and to then make a decision about how to make the savings needed from these services.

They took the decision that the council withdraw subsidies paid to run 118 subsidised bus routes in Oxfordshire. This decision was approved at the full council’s overall budget setting meeting on February 16, 2016.

In its announcement on Tuesday, March 8, OCC said: “It is important to note that the withdrawal of an Oxfordshire County Council bus subsidy does not necessarily mean that the service will be cancelled (or subsidised portion of the service). The operator may decide to continue running it without any Oxfordshire County Council subsidy (or another operator step in and take it on).

“Oxfordshire County Council is in discussions with operators and will work with them to try to maintain or commercialise services wherever possible if a subsidy is withdrawn.”