Durham County Council have announced plans to launch a new bus app that will integrate all bus services used across the county to make it easier for passengers to keep track of what services are available.
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00:00Durham County Council is working to address the ongoing issues with the local bus service.
00:06We have plans to introduce a new app that will combine all bus services into one platform.
00:12Cathy Knight, the Council's Integrated Passenger Transport Manager, explained that while this
00:16is a step forward, it will take time due to a need for a full procurement process.
00:21She noted that managing multiple apps for different bus operations is frustrating for
00:25many passengers, and the goal is to streamline this into one convenient app.
00:32Passenger satisfaction in County Durham rose from 76% to 82% in 2024.
00:38Although problems with bus reliability persist, Councillor David Sutton-Lloyd expressed concerns
00:43about decreasing services reliability, mentioning that some bus company apps which were once
00:48reliable have now become ineffective.
00:51He also highlighted the lack of real-time information at bus stops, especially in rural
00:55areas, leaving passengers unsure whether to wait for another bus or to leave.
01:01Councillor Bev Coult echoed these concerns, reporting that residents continue to experience
01:05issues with bus services, leading to missed appointments and delays.
01:09She asked if the Council could take favour action to address these problems.
01:13However, Cathy Knight clarified that the Council has limited powers to enforce major changes,
01:18but continues to meet regularly with bus operators to monitor progress.
01:23David Lewin, the Council's Strategic Traffic Manager, acknowledged that these passengers
01:27tend to report more problems than positive experiences, with complaints often centred
01:32around buses not showing up.
01:34He suggested that increased bus usage could help improve the service over time.