The managing director of Going Forward Buses, Mike Ward, says services in the district could be at risk unless passenger numbers improve. And not helping matters is a reduction, this Autumn, in concessionary bus pass payments which are operated by Oxfordshire County Council.
Mr Ward says that the county council has confirmed that there isn’t any money for services through Long Wittenham, Clifton Hampden and Burcot. Going Forward operates a Monday and Wednesday shopping service between Didcot and Wallingford. It cancelled a Saturday service due to recruitment problems.
Mr Ward said: “The only service the county council is interested in giving some limited support to is Goring and Wallingford. These routes will be my priority but I will continue to try to fit in other routes”.
He also outlined difficulties in recruiting staff. He said: “I doubt I would be able to justify continuing the service on current passenger numbers so that’s another factor I have to take into account when deciding what to do”.
