‘You Couldn’t Make It Up!’ – Bus Shelters Removed Months Before Replacements Due

York’s Liberal Democrat councillors have demanded an explanation from the council’s Labour administration after bus shelters were removed across York with replacements not due to be fitted until October or November. 

Councillors received notification on 14 August that a number of shelters had been removed in Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, Westfield, Copmanthorpe and Haxby & Wigginton wards following the award of a new contract to Bauer, who will take over from current contract-holder JC Decaux. Further enquiries revealed that replacement shelters will not be installed at these locations until October or November, meaning that passengers waiting at these well-used stops will have no protection from the elements and no seating over the coming months.

This is the latest twist in the saga of the council’s bus shelter contract process. In April 2024, Labour councillors attempted to re-award the multi-million pound 15-year contract to JCDecaux without a formal competitive tender process. Liberal Democrat councillors immediately raised the alarm, ‘calling in’ the decision for formal scrutiny to enable transparency and adherence to contract law. This intervention ensured that a full and lawful tendering process was undertaken for the city’s bus shelter advertising contract, securing up to £2.5 million in extra income to help fund services for local residents.

Lib Dem Group Deputy Leader, Cllr Paula Widdowson, has called on the Labour council leadership to explain why it approved the premature removal of the shelters, with no notice given to bus users, and what temporary measures can be put in place. 

“Over the weekend we have had a flurry of enquiries from residents asking where the bus shelters have gone. They are as stunned as we are that the Labour councillors responsible for this fiasco thought it would be a good idea to remove the shelters and seating three months before the replacement shelters will be ready. You really couldn’t make it up!” 

“Officers in the council’s Transport team have been left in a very difficult position due to what appears to be continued mismanagement of the contract process. Our priority now is to work with officers to see what temporary measures can be put in place. The stop on Tadcaster Road in particular is very well-used by residents and by guests staying at the nearby hotels who take the bus into the city centre, and the seating was very much appreciated by those who can’t stand for long periods.

“In 2022 the then Lib Dem-led council secured over £17 million for bus improvements, and we want to see some of this money spent on installing more shelters, seating and real-time displays. The council should be helping to make bus travel more comfortable and convenient but the removal of these existing bus shelters, leaving passengers standing in the rain, will have the opposite effect.”