Consultation into council-funded bus services in Telford

The authority spends £564,000 per year subsidising just two per cent of the borough's routes.

But now as a contract for the council-funded services comes to an end, members of the public were today urged to give their views.

While 98 per cent of bus services in the borough operate commercially with no funding from the local authority, a number are still reliant on the financial support in order to operate.

Council bosses want to review the current services and routes and put together a portfolio of routes that can be consulted on with the public before they are sent out to tender for bus operators to bid to run them.

Over the last five years the council has saved nearly £75 million, but that figure needs to increase to £110 million over the next three years, in which time subsidised bus services are set to cost £1.7 million.

By consulting on subsidised routes, the authority wants to understand what residents, businesses and organisations need from bus services and why services are needed.

It comes following the biggest overhaul to bus routes by Arriva in the borough in 10 years.

Councillor Angela McClements, cabinet member for communities, regeneration and transport, said: "Many people in the borough rely on bus services for a whole host of reasons, including school, work and shopping.

"Any changes to bus services in the borough could potentially impact on bus users being able to continue doing those things which they consider to be vitally important.

"There are some tough decisions ahead of us in the next three years and it is therefore important for residents to give us feedback on the council's subsidised routes so that we can understand the needs and importance of these routes to our local communities before going out to tender."

The consultation begins on Wednesday and will run until October 13.

Following the consultation, any necessary changes will be made to the routes and services in the tender documents which will then be released as part of the procurement process.

Changes to routes or any new services will then begin in Spring 2016 once contracts have been awarded.

From Wednesday, people will be able to give their views online at www.telford.gov.uk/busroutes

Alternatively, a number of consultation events will be held throughout the borough. For a full list visit the website.