A TIMETABLE OF DISASTER

Hundreds of bus routes face axe as grant ends

- DAN BLOOM

HUNDREDS of bus services in England face being thinned out or axed altogether unless ministers pledge new cash this week, Northern mayors warn today.

The Bus Recovery Grant, which dished out more than £200million to prop up services due to Covid, ends on October 5. It had already been extended by six months.

Bus firms need to give six weeks' notice to change or cancel a service, triggering fears a wave of cuts will be announced in the next week.

West Yorkshire firms have already said they will axe 26 services unless they get more support, and another 25 will have no buses after 7 pm, Labour mayor Tracy Brabin said.