Flyer passenger numbers could increase after the axe of loss making services by trentbarton

Passengers using the Ilkeston Flyer bus service from trentbarton could see an increased number of people on board after the firm said it would stop running four loss-making routes which have been severely impacted by the pandemic and which have no prospect of attracting sufficient customers, with the Flyer service running through an area in which another has been cut.

trentbarton ceased operation of four routes on September 4th – 1A, 27, 141 & spondon flyer. The 27 route will continue in its current form but will instead be operated by Notts & Derby Buses. 

All the affected services have been losing money since the first Covid lockdown, with some failing to break even before the pandemic. Post-lockdowns, they have not recovered.

In addition, there is also a reduction in frequency to every 10 minutes on the allestree and the mickleover from September 4th. 

The changes are being made as trentbarton carries out the full network review required by the Department for Transport. The region’s local authorities are working with all public transport operators to match resources with projected usage.

The drivers currently engaged on these affected routes will all be redeployed to other services, which will ease the recent disruption to the timetables due to the industry-wide shortage of drivers.

Jeff Counsell, trentbarton’s managing director, said: “We are very sorry indeed that we must make these changes but in order to continue to deliver our other services we cannot afford to absorb the losses made by these routes, which simply do not carry sufficient customers.

“The routes affected had been struggling before Covid and have not seen the bounce back in numbers that other services have seen. The Government has been supporting the bus industry since the pandemic hit but this help ends this autumn.

“The silver lining in what was a very difficult decision is the extra drivers we can put onto our other services which will mean much fewer cancellations and a significantly improved reliability. 

“The changes will enable us to run more services, more frequently, on the journeys that most people need, growing customer numbers and making them more sustainable.

“We are talking to the local authorities and other operators to see if they can support any of the affected routes. Some customers will also be able to access other trentbarton services and those of other operators.”

Some of the affected customers on the routes that have been withdrawn will be able to adjust their journeys via other services. The alternatives include:

Jeff said: “We apologise to all our customers who will be affected. Running buses is what trentbarton exists to do, so to cancel routes is always done with a heavy heart and when there is absolutely no other option.”

trentbarton is also making further changes from early October 2022 affecting services running through parts of the borough and beyond. Full details can be seen here.