TEN bus routes in Hereford will be affected as Yeomans scraps a “large proportion” of its services, Herefordshire Council has said.

Despite being asked to postpone the changes until April 2022, Yeomans will withdraw certain services from January, a council spokesperson said.

The council said it is holding discussions with other operators regarding replacing the withdrawn services, or putting in place alternatives on a commercial basis so that some continuity of service might be maintained.

LATEST UPDATE: Yeomans says cuts to bus services are to protect its future amid falling passenger numbers

Local bus operator Yeomans, based in Old School Lane, Hereford, gave notice to Herefordshire Council that it intends to withdraw a large proportion of its commercial services in Hereford from January 1.

  • Are you affected? Let us know at the bottom of the article.

The council has held discussions with Yeomans to request that it delays its withdrawal of services until April 2022.

OTHER NEWS:

This would provide time for the council and local operators to plan and put in place alternatives. Yeomans have declined this request.

The following routes will be affected by the cancellations (click on the numbered links for an interactive map of the routes):

  • 71/71A/71B – Credenhill - Hereford
  • 71S – Credenhill – Whitecross School (School days)
  • 72 – Bobblestock – Hereford
  • 74 – Hereford – Newton Farm (Sunday service withdrawn)
  • 74A – Hereford – Hunderton - Newton Farm
  • 74S – Newton Farm - Hereford - Bishop's School (School days)
  • 77A – Hereford - College Green - Holmer - Bobblestock circular
  • 78A/78S – Skylon Park – Putson – Redhill (journeys serving Redhill withdrawn)
  • 79A – Putson – Redhill – Hereford (peak hours)
  • 88/88A – Hinton – Putson – The Pastures – Redhill (Saturday service withdrawn and all Monday-Friday journeys serving Redhill)

The council recently submitted an £18.3m funding bid to Department for Transport as part of the national bus strategy and hopes to receive additional funding to invest in buses from April 2022.

Following the announcement made by Yeomans, the council has decided to bring forward plans for improvements to bus services and is requesting formal proposals from operators for an improved bus service for Hereford.

Depending on proposals and confirmation of funding from the Government it is hoped that new services could start as soon as April 2022.

OTHER NEWS:

The council will be seeking to tender some replacement services which will be in place from January 2022.

This should guarantee the continuation of essential services, including school services, as the council progresses permanent proposals for the city network.

Coun Harrington said: “The timing of the withdrawal of these commercially operated services is of great concern and does not appear to take into account the issues which will be faced by the people who use and rely on these services.

“We have been meeting with all of our local operators regularly since the beginning of Covid and more recently to develop proposals for an improved county network and it is disappointing that only minimum notice has been given for these significant changes.

“There is great deal of work to do now to try and ensure that we put some temporary services in place but also to seek comprehensive proposals from operators which match our ambitions for a much improved service for the city."