Local MP, Maria Miller, met with James O’Neill the incoming Regional Director of Stagecoach South, Basingstoke’s bus service operator.
Maria said: “I met James, to welcome him and to discuss the changing nature of the demand for bus travel in Basingstoke, as as result of significant growth over many years and more recently as we emerge from the pandemic.
“With more people incorporating home working as part of their routine, and concessionary passenger numbers still some way below pre-pandemic levels, bus operators are having to consider carefully how best to meet the needs of their customers.
“That is why it is important that Hampshire County Council have maintained their secure funding model until at least April 2023, going above and beyond national requirements for concessionary support. This gives operators like Stagecoach the time to properly analyse and adjust to changing patterns of usage post-pandemic.
“I was also encouraged to hear of Stagecoach’s efforts to boost driver recruitment, engage with developers at an early stage to ensure appropriate transport infrastructure for new housing, and their commitment to make their fleet diesel-free by 2035.”
