MPS and councillors across areas of Cheshire affected by Arriva’s proposals to close bus depots in Winsford and Macclesfield are campaigning to make residents’ voices heard.

Arriva North West’s decision could mean the company would no longer operate any bus services in Northwich, Winsford, Crewe and Macclesfield – plus surrounding areas.

Conservative MPs met with the Minister for Buses, Richard Holden, to address constituents' concerns.

Nationally, there has been a 20 per cent drop in bus usage since the Covid-19 pandemic, but on Arriva Cheshire routes this has been as high as 45 per cent.

Members of Parliament Edward Timpson (Eddisbury), David Rutley (Macclesfield), Fiona Bruce (Congleton) and Kieran Mullan (Crewe and Nantwich) represented their collective views at a meeting with the minister in Parliament, together with Arriva.

Whilst local authorities Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East have said they will not step in to run these services, the private sector has come to the aid of the affected Arriva routes, with D&G and Stagecoach declaring their intentions to take on a number.

In an answer to a Parliamentary question from Edward Timpson on Monday, the Minister for Buses disclosed that, since 2013, Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils have received an annual payment of £347,865 and £314,318 respectively through the Bus Service Operators Grant.

Cheshire East Council also received £2.2 million since March 2020 to support services through the pandemic, of which they were paid £1,284,863 via Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant, £534,874 via Bus Recovery Grant, and £382,682 from the Local Transport Fund.

Cheshire West and Chester Council were paid almost £1.5 million since March 2020 to support services through the pandemic, of which they were paid £721,690 via Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant, £433,300 via Bus Recovery Grant and £339,672 from the Local Transport Fund.

Edward Timpson CBE KC, MP for Eddisbury, added: "We're pleased that a combination of private sector offers and political intervention has resulted in a positive outlook for the affected routes, and of course local authorities must do their duty in ensuring this is carried through."

Winsford Labour arranged a public meeting to allow people to have their say on how the potential loss of a bus service would impact them.

MP Mike Amesbury spoke at the meeting on Thursday at The Hive in Winsford.

Addressing those who had attended, he said: “How can these private operators just decide, seemingly on a whim, that they’re going to withdraw 14 bus services, close two depots, and the job losses, let’s not forget, that are going to come with that?

“It’s because the landscape created over 30 years ago is still with us – deregulation and privatisation.”

The Winsford Labour team added: “It was brilliant to be joined by Mike Amesbury MP for our public meeting on Arriva’s decision to withdraw the bus services for Winsford in just over a month’s time.

“This decision also affects his constituents in Northwich as well as residents in Middlewich, Sandbach, Crewe and Macclesfield.

“Mike spoke eloquently about the need to put power over local transport back into the hands of the communities who rely on it.

“At the moment, services are run for private profit, not the public interest.

“This has led to the loss of over a thousand bus routes across the country in the last year alone.

“It was really valuable as well to hear from members of the public who rely on buses, who shared their frustrations with the local bus service even prior to Arriva’s announcement.

“Issues included scheduled buses not turning up, a lack of easily available up to date information, the effects a poor bus service has on the local economy and a lack of coverage for elderly residents: the people in our community who most rely on the bus service.”