ARRIVA has been accused of treating passengers with “contempt” over plans to make more “devastating” cuts to services across West Yorkshire.

Wakefield Council and the district’s MPs said they had been informed that some school bus routes could be lost and core services reduced after the operator said it plans to run local networks with 80 fewer drivers.

Arriva said in a statement issued on Friday that it was “struggling to deliver all our timetabled services” amid a national shortage of drivers.

The announcement comes weeks after Arriva closed its Wakefield depot when “serious structural problems” were discovered at the facility on Barnsley Road.

The operator said at the time that it would “work to minimise disruption to services”.

Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield and Rothwell, said “this assurance now appears hollow.”

He added: “These are devastating plans by Arriva in West Yorkshire which appear to lay bare the contempt they hold for my constituents.

“Arriva in West Yorkshire has completely lost the public’s trust to operate any decent standard of bus service.“For decades, unaccountable private operators have wreaked havoc on my constituents’ lives.

“By hampering social mobility and economic growth, incompetence on this scale from Arriva has meant nothing short of paralysis for our community.

“Arriva have serious questions to answer regarding how they have reached this new low.”

The Labour MP, who became minister for local transport in July, said he would work with West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin “to find a way that works for local residents.”

In March, Ms Brabin announced plans to bring the county’s bus services back under public control and recommended franchising as the best way to improve local networks.

The proposals are the latest in a series of capacity reductions and service withdrawals in recent years.

Arriva in West Yorkshire was ranked England’s worst bus operator in 2023 after it came 55th out of 55 operators in a satisfaction survey by passenger watchdog Transport Focus.

Matthew Morley, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for planning and highways, said: “This latest blow by Arriva Yorkshire – the UK’s worst bus operator – is completely unacceptable.

“And I’m afraid it reinforces their continued inability to do their job.

“We’ve seen bus services in our district decimated whilst in Arriva’s hands.

“These new savage cuts are a further blow to the residents and businesses who rightly expect a bus operator to provide a reliable service.

“In Wakefield, one in four households do not own a car and rely completely on public transport, so we know that many residents will be massively affected by this latest announcement.

“It is likely to cause serious problems with how they can get to work, see family, friends and visit places.

“Given their previous track record of failing to consider residents and communities when making decisions, it seems unlikely that Arriva Yorkshire will reconsider their proposals.

“And so, I am urging West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to step in and shore up our bus services.

“Whilst we can have confidence in the long term as WYCA take buses back under public control, we need help now to address what amounts to a crisis situation for public transport in our district and region.”

A spokesperson for Arriva West Yorkshire said: “We are working closely with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to explore options to deliver more reliable and higher-performing services to passengers in Wakefield and across West Yorkshire.

“We need to be clear that no decisions have been reached and we remain fully committed to serving West Yorkshire.

“We continue to recruit and train more drivers, and we are committed to expanding our workforce further.

“Despite over 200 new drivers joining Arriva West Yorkshire this year alone, we are struggling to deliver all our timetabled services.

“Passengers understandably tell us that the reliability of services is crucial, and it is essential that the timetables match the resource available to deliver them.”

Jade Botterill, MP for Ossett and Denby Dale, said: “I am shocked but sadly not surprised by Arriva’s disgraceful decision to remove drivers and scale back already limited routes.

“Arriva have consistently failed to deliver even the most basic services, and have already been named as the worst bus operator in England.

“Many of the services are already sporadic and unreliable.

“Even before this decision, Arriva’s shameless running down of our bus services has left children late for school and elderly residents unable to reach health appointments.”

Yvette Cooper, MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley, said: “This is an appalling announcement from Arriva.

“The company’s operations have already meant bus services in our towns are far too unreliable but this latest news means local residents in Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley and Altofts who depend on buses are being disgracefully let down.

“I am calling on Arriva to urgently reverse this decision.

“This is also more evidence on why it is so important that West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin will be able to take buses back under public control after bus services have failed for far too long.

“I will be supporting WYCA’s urgent work to tackle this problem.”