Bus service up for debate

CURRENT TRANSPORT SCHEME SET TO EXPIRE NEXT MARCH

- By DANIEL HODGSON Local democracy reporter

The future of the Teesflex bus service is due to be discussed next month

(DAVE CHARNLEY)

QUESTIONS have been raised over the future of the Teesflex bus scheme.

The service is due to expire in March next year and agreement is required from Labour's local council leaders and Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen if it is to continue beyond this date.

The topic came up as Mayor Houchen was fielding questions from councillors from across the Tees Valley on several subjects at a scrutiny committee last Wednesday.

Middlesbrough Labour Councillor David Branson asked about Teesflex and the mayor said that if the TVCA Cabinet decided to continue with the service, it would have to be reprocured, meaning other operators would need to have the opportunity to bid for the service.

He said work is being done by officers to present a paper to cabinet ahead of their December 12 meeting, “so cabinet can have a genuine discussion about what it wants to see as its priorities”, he explained.

Teesflex would account for over £1m of the money from the bus service improvement plan (BSIP).

Mayor Houchen highlighted BSIP as “the only revenue money that we have to be able to support any public transport services”.