Elderly Leighton-Linslade residents 'devastated' by cuts to Arriva bus services
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A meeting of the Leighton-Linslade Bus Users’ Group was held on Monday, September 10, which was the "largest ever" in terms if public attendance, as residents responded to recent changes to the Arriva services, including the F70/F77, L3, L4, L5 and X4.
One issue raised was that the cuts are negatively impacting certain residents, particularly the elderly and disabled whose streets have been removed from the timetable. For example, the L5 no longer stops in Rosebery Avenue or Stoke Road.
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Hide AdArriva says that the changes will "help keep buses running on time", while Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) is encouraging more people to use the buses.


Speaking to the LBO, Councillor Bedfordshire Councillor, Victoria Harvey, claimed: "It is about 1km from the far end of Golden Riddy and Stoke Road to a bus stop since the cuts. The problem is that the numbers are not enough to make running the buses viable, but it's absolutely devastating for those few people who rely on the services.
"We have got the Buzzer Buses, but you have to pay in advance; however, if you are not in great health, you don't know if you will do something until the day itself and would need to take a bus."
She added: "Buses should be part of the social stratey to help people live independently – we need to keep the pressure off care homes."
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Hide AdThe meeting involved three Central Bedfordshire Council officers, the Arriva network manager for Luton and Milton Keynes, Central Bedfordshire Councillor Shaun Roberts, Leighton-Linslade Town Councillor Jane Gibson, Central Bedfordshire Councillor and Chair of the Leighton-Linslade Bus Users’ Group, Councillor Harvey, and John Sharp, co-ordinator of the Leighton-Linslade Bus Users’ group.


Explaning the cuts to the L services, the minutes state: "The new town network [L services] had been devised largely from Section 106 monies which emanated from the Eastern Leighton Buzzard housing development together with some residual subsidy for bus routes within Linslade.
"After over a year of the new network, the passenger loadings from Rosebery Avenue were so low that the L5 diversion on Rosebery Avenue and Stoke Road could not be justified. Before the new network was inaugurated in May 2023 there had been an extension of the previous Linslade and town route to include Golden Riddy but that had been subsequently terminated due to low passenger loading.
"The new town network comprised a largely hourly service using only four buses which are inter-worked to provide the services L1 to L6. L5 is a complex route within Linslade as well as being the only cross town service and is easily disrupted by traffic conditions.
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Hide Ad"There is no point in the route having diversions to serve particular communities if there is hardly any passenger take up from these locations.


"The counter argument that buses should serve the communities as a social need was discussed but that entails extra buses being provided. The funding for the new town network could simply not accommodate an extra bus at £200,000.
"Providing buses as a social need requires a financial commitment from government through local authorities which at the moment simply isn’t there."
Councillor Harvey told the LBO: "My overiding point is that we desperately need more promotion."
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Hide AdThe meeting heard that the L services are financed "almost wholly" from Section 106 development money from the Eastern Leighton Buzzard housing development. But this will be "largely depleted" by May 2025.


The minutes state: "If any part of our local bus network fails to become a commercial success by that date Arriva cannot be expected to continue operating it.
"As things stand at present, CBC are unable to increase the subsidies they give to bus operators to operate services on behalf of CBC.
"The total bus subsidies within CBC is £1.6 million and has been at that level for several years. Only a very small part of that has gone to our local bus network. If Arriva were to pull out of operating any part of our network, CBC would be faced with having to increase subsidies to keep our buses operating. How this would be achieved is unknown."
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Hide AdCllr Tracey Wye, executive member for sustainability and climate resilience, said: “Using buses is better for the environment, reduces congestion, and takes the stress out of driving. It’s also the best way to help maintain regular services as operators will make decisions about routes based on how people are using them. Leighton Buzzard has extremely good bus services, with virtually brand-new buses running on six routes, seven days a week, late into the evenings.
“September is national ‘Catch The Bus Month’, and we are doing even more to encourage residents to use buses whenever they can, with single fares on most bus services in Central Bedfordshire currently capped at just £2, or just £1 if you’re 18 or under and hold a YP Card. You can find out more about the young person’s bus card on the council’s website.”
An Arriva Midlands spokesman, said: "We introduced a brand new bus network in Leighton Buzzard last year, working in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC). One year on, we’re making some small updates to that network based on feedback from our customers, and to help keep buses running on time.
“Later journeys to help commuters and people who want to have evenings out are a core part of our business because it’s so important to our customers. That’s why we’ve improved those bus links.
“We’ve made these changes because Leighton Buzzard’s bus network continues to grow.”
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