Bus decline accelerates

A 'SHOCKING' rate of decline in the number of bus passengers, with a fall every month this year, needs to be a wake-up call to turn the service around, the Bus Users Group has said.

Group co-ordinator Fergus Dunlop said 2013 would be 'make-or-break' for operator CT Plus, which took over in April.

Latest figures released by the Environment Department showed that there were approaching 80,000 fewer journeys between 1 January and 31 November compared to the same period last year.

There were 1,416,936 passengers this year, while 1,495,478 used the service in 2011.

This includes declines of 8.7% and 5.9% for October and November compared to the same time last year, although CT Plus introduced a new timetable with a stronger focus on commuters.