Big drop in bus routes in five years

THE number of bus routes across the South West has plummeted by almost half over the past five years, with over 1,000 routes slashed, data commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

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House of Commons Library research shows 1,180 bus services in the West of England have been scrapped between 2019 and 2024; that's 43.75% of the region's bus routes and an average of approximately one route being cut every other day.

Liberal Democrat MPs from across the South West have warned that this devastating decline in services is leaving rural communities even more isolated and reducing access to hospitals, schools and high streets. They are urging the government to protect vital bus routes.