Tockwith: Villagers fear being stuck if bus route is axed

People reliant on an under-fire bus route say they fear being "stuck" in their villages if the service is axed.

The 412 bus links Tockwith, Long Marston and Bickerton with Wetherby and York, but could be scrapped in December without additional funding.

Bus operator Connexions said rising costs and dwindling passenger numbers have rendered the route unsustainable.

North Yorkshire County Council's Andy Paraskos said the local authority is in talks over the future of the service.

Since 16 May, the 412 service has been operating five buses a day in each direction from Monday to Friday.

Anne Hourihan, 74, who lives in Tockwith, uses the bus to get to hospital appointments, the opticians and shops, but said she will have to rely on lifts from neighbours if the service stops.

"It's dreadful, I can't really get my head around the idea that I might be stuck here in the village, unable to go anywhere unless I rely on people for lifts," she said.

Diane Wakelin, 72, also from Tockwith, said she feels "very sad" about the declining service.

"It takes a lot of independence away from people, there's a lot of people in the village who don't drive and it's cutting them off totally," she said.

Heather Dean, who works at the local store in Tockwith said the bus service is used by customers from surrounding villages who do not want to travel to Wetherby or York for their shopping.

"I know bus companies are struggling money-wise, but it's a shame they can't keep it running. They have already reduced the service," she said.

It usually takes a minimum of 70 calendar days to cancel a bus route in England.

Under the Bus Services Act 2017, if an operator wants to cancel a route it has to tell the local authorities the route passes through and the regional Traffic Commissioner, who are responsible for registering local bus services.

The operator has to pre-notify the local authorities 28 days before it tells the commissioner and should inform them 42 days before it wants to end the service.

Craig Temple, managing director of Connexions, said cutting the route "is not something we want to do".

"We have run the service at a loss for a number of years, but we are trying to serve the community we are based in," he said.

"It's one of the biggest villages around, it deserves a bus service.

"But with increasing costs and a shortage of staff, we have been left with no alternative."

He said concessionary passes have also hit the company's finances, as Connexions gets £1.56 for a return journey between York and Wetherby from a bus pass user, compared to £7.50 for a full fare.

He said he hoped councils will be able to help the firm with the cost of running the route.

Mr Paraskos said: "It's the only bus service that runs through those villages, it's quite important as it affects people who have no other form of transport quite dramatically."

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