Bus services under threat

Passengers have been warned they risk losing services

Bus passengers have been warned services will be axed if passenger numbers continue to fall.

Public transport bosses say at least seven services across Tyne and Wear are under threat because they are being underused by the public.

Nexus, which has responsibility for public transport planning, said the services, in Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Wearside were in "imminent danger" of being withdrawn.

The services are all heavily subsidised by Nexus, but carry relatively small numbers of passengers for the subsidy provided.

A spokesman for Nexus said: "Although we have a budget to secure withdrawn commercial services on the grounds of reducing social exclusion, it is stretched to breaking point.

Services in danger

"We has responsibility for transport planning in Tyne and Wear and so we have stepped in to urge people in areas served by the services under threat to use them or lose them."

Nexus claims the overall situation across Tyne and Wear is worsening as bus patronage falls.

Nexus development director, Bernard Garner said: "These services are in real danger of being withdrawn, but they are just the tip of the iceberg.

"There are many more like them across the region and we would urge people to use their local bus services or risk watching them disappear in whole or in part.

"In an ideal world we would wish to secure all under threat services to ensure their continued operation for passengers.

"But the amount of money we have available to do that is very limited and the demands on it are great."