Bus company pledges to cover at risk Aylesbury services after Arriva's shock depot closure announcement
A local bus company serving people in Aylesbury has announced plans to expand its services, after Arriva announced plans to close its depot last week.
Redline Buses Limited, which is part of the Red Group bus company, is pledging to cover as many of the at jeopardy services as possible.
Last night (19 May) on social media, the transport company announced it will be changing its timetables and services in reaction to Arriva’s anticipated depot closure.
A new Redline service between High Wycombe and Aylesbury will be launched on 28 July, the day after Arriva’s depot is expected to close. This new service will stop in acey Green, Naphill and Hughenden Valley, areas skipped by Redline’s current 130 service.
Also Redline’s X20 route between Oxford and Aylesbury will start going through Haddenham from the end of July. Previously only Arriva buses completed the Oxford to Aylesbury route via Haddenham.
A spokesperson for Readline Buses said: “We will aim to cover as much of the withdrawn Arriva network as possible and timetables will be publicised shortly.
"Please keep an eye on our social media feeds and website where further details will be provided over the coming days.”
Redline Buses has been approached for comment by the Bucks Herald as the company has yet to address concerns around overcrowding and availability following the announcement.
With Arriva shelving two services between high Wycombe and Aylesbury, as well as two between Aylesbury and Oxford, its services are likely to face increased demand. Whilst other customers have expressed concerns over longer wait times, with less buses being operational in Buckinghamshire’s two biggest towns.
Also, unlike Arriva, Redline Buses only operates single-storey buses in Buckinghamshire, which will undoubtedly be seeing a substantial increase in demand come August.
Since the announcement many local figures have slammed the decision, with many officials criticising the short notice nature of the bus company’s statement.
Aylesbury MP Rob Butler said: “I’m extremely concerned about Arriva Buses’ sudden proposals to close its depot in Aylesbury, and am angry that there was no warning that this was even being considered.”
He later raised his concerns in Parliament and confirmed plans to hold a meeting with senior staff within the bus company.
His parliamentary rival, Councillor Steven Lambert linked the problems to the Government’s decision to deregulate the UK’s bus service. One of his concerns regarded how people in villages neighbouring Aylesbury who rely on the buses to get to and from school would be supported.
Becky Hyams, 21, from Haddenham, set up a petition calling for the X7 bus route to be reinstated. Her petition can be viewed online here, as a visually impaired resident, Haddenham’s bus links were a key reason for her moving to the village.
Arriva announced it had opened discussions with its staff regarding the potential closure of its High Wycombe and Aylesbury depots last week.
A spokesperson said the international company was looking to shut its depots as both are loss-making services. An official closure date was not announced, but Arriva confirmed that neither depot would permanently close before 27 July.