First should be marketing early morning and evening services better not cutting them.

First potteries have announced the fourth shake up of its timetables in the space of a year with early morning, evening and Sunday services facing drastic changes.

Many of the services being altered have been deemed ‘unsustainable’ by the company; a First spokesperson told the Sentinel ‘many of our early morning, evening and Sunday buses are used by a very small number of customers’

Adding that services were being ‘adjusted’ in order to provide a ‘sustainable network of services for the majority of travelers’ as part of the company’s continual review’ process.

North Staffs Green Party opposes the cuts due to be implemented from 19th April as part of their commitment to campaigning for better public transport.

Adam Colclough, Green Party candidate for Springfields and Trent Vale said ‘four changes to the timetable in the space of a year is confusing for bus users, many of whom depend on public transport to get to work.’

The Green Party is committed to improving public transport through policies including taking the railways back into public ownership, giving pensioners and young people free travel and campaigning for affordable public transport for all.

Adam Colclough said that ‘if early morning and evening buses aren’t attracting enough customers then First need to concentrate on marketing the service better, not cutting it back.’

He added, ‘Given a gentle nudge many people would find travelling to work or the shops by bus easier and cheaper than going by car.’