South West has the worst bus delays in the whole country
Richard Foord MP has called for action to be taken to tackle systemic delays on local bus routes, after Liberal Democrat research shows the South West has the most delayed buses in the country, with 1-in-4 buses regularly running late.
The data shows that the South West is nearly 10% worse than the national average, with only 78.5% of frequent bus services (services that run more than 5 buses per hour) running on time. The national average for buses running on time is 87.9%.
The research also showed that this is a long-standing trend. The South West has been below the national average for punctual services since 2016. The South West is also the only region where delays have worsened since 2019, before the pandemic.
The information comes as communities across Devon are seeing services cut or reduced by Stagecoach, including the 9A that connects Exeter to Seaton and Lyme Regis, the 1C that connects Uffculme to Exeter and the 4 which connects Axminster to Exeter.
Local MP Richard Foord has been campaigning hard to save these vital routes and improve bus services, to ensure that all residents have access to the services they need. He’s warning that without swift action and investment, many communities will be left stranded and cut off.
Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton, said:
“People across our communities are deeply concerned by the ongoing changes to local bus routes. Many have seen the vital services that get them to work, to school or to health facilities fall away, as route after route is scrapped or trimmed back.
"What is more offensive is that the services they were getting were not working properly anyway. For the region and the people here in our part of Devon to be let down so badly is infuriating - Stagecoach need to urgently up their game.
“The Conservative Government’s willful ignorance of the bus services chaos in the region is scandalous. We need to give local authorities greater powers to ensure they can make these services work for our towns and villages.
“Liberal Democrats have been banging the drum to raise the plight of local communities and how they have been let down so badly by bus providers. I will continue to raise this in Parliament and fight to make Devon's buses work again.”