Harrogate Bus Company says it remains confident of improvements despite “lethal cocktail’ of economic pressures

Still positive about the future, Transdev chief executive Alex Hornby who has pioneered electric buses in Harrogate, has opened up on the pressures facing bus transport and the substantial hit the company is already battling with in terms of soaring energy costs.

“Cost inflation remains a huge challenge for us,” said Mr Hornby. “This year, we have endured a £3million-plus hit in additional energy costs across Transdev in the north.

“In addition, in order to provide colleagues with a fair wage in these challenging times - as well as to remain attractive to new drivers - we have increased pay rates by over 10% in the last 18 months.

“Having to balance this against customer numbers not reaching 2019-levels provides a lethal cocktail - albeit one we fight against on a daily basis because we truly believe in the business of quality bus travel.”

Despite the impact of 10% inflation on customers, Mr Hornby predicts that passenger numbers will keep on growing after the slump during Covid.

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And he sees public transport continuing to be crucial to the future even in the midst of staff recruitment issues and economic problems.

“Bus travel remains the key public transport solution for the Harrogate district,” said Mr Hornby. “Customer numbers have recovered to around 90% of pre-COVID numbers which continues to present a challenge, as does the industry-wide recruitment challenge.

“Positively, colleague retention has now improved and driver turnover is at its lowest level in two years.

“This is allowing a steady improvement in service delivery, which obviously needs to be at its best if we are to carry on growing demand.

“I expect that this will continue to improve via further service changes and the expected increase in new drivers joining us as we approach the end of 2022.”

Part of the reason why Mr Hornby remains hopeful overall about bus services in an increasingly challenging situation is the prospect of an all-electric fleet for Harrogate.

Harrogate Bus Company and North Yorkshire County Council successfully bid together for £7.8 million to make the firm’s fleet all-electric with the delivery of 39 zero-emission buses.

The project will cost almost £20 million in total, with around £11.5 million being invested by Transdev – the parent firm of Harrogate Bus Company.

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But Mr Hornby is keen to stress a good bus service requires support from both local government and national.

“We need commitment from partners who have a responsibility to promote and grow bus travel,” said Mr Hornby. “We have invested millions - and will continue to do - in bus travel for our town. But we can’t do this alone.

“Our colleagues at North Yorkshire County Council can respond to our customers and other residents demands for better bus priority to improve our timekeeping, the introduction of Park & Ride to reduce car movements in the town centre and adequate funding to secure the concessionary fare programme - which, in turn, helps to fund the comprehensive bus network in Harrogate, which is the envy of similar sized towns in the UK.”

Public transport, in general, and bus services, in particular, had a huge role to play in economic growth and hitting carbon targets.

“The positive impact of investment in bus goes far beyond a vehicle or bus lane paint on the tarmac,” said Mr Hornby.

“It can improve the local economy, the ability to access workplaces and education, the viability of a retailer or local business.

“We deliver people and enable positive lifestyles.”

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But the warning signs are still there for bus companies like Harrogate Bus Company.

In April of this year, North Yorkshire County Council was “confident” that Harrogate would be able to trial a park and ride service despite funding cuts to a separate government scheme.That was despite its £116 million to invest in services in North Yorkshire as part of the Bus Back Better initiative under then Prime Minister Boris Johnson being rejected by the Government.

But last week saw a change in tone from North Yorkshire County Council with the spectre of cuts in bus services in 2023.

Warning that the financial situation was alarming, council leader Coun Carl Les said that, with less than six months until a Government financial support package to commercial companies to keep services running in North Yorkshire was scheduled to end, passenger numbers were still not back to pre-Covid levels.

Mr Hornby remains focused on what Transdev can do to improve the situation and is hopeful that is possible even in the teeth of the pressures facing the business.

“Despite the issues, we remain deeply positive about bus travel,” said Mr Hornby. “We remain the antidote to the expense of motoring, the environmental cost of carbon emissions and the frustration of congestion.

“We would welcome the national government’s decision to feedback on the North Yorkshire Bus Service Improvement Plan proposals so we can revisit and re-enter the submission, and, hopefully, secure the funding to deliver better buses in Harrogate and across the county.

“We will overcome the macro economic pressures, alongside the introduction of a fully-electric fleet in Harrogate, which means the future remains positive if we can all unite and be more confident in believing the power of the bus.”