BUS companies are to be held to account by council bosses over “slipping standards” and big concerns over their operations.

The wheels are in motion to bring First, Arriva, Hedingham and Chambers, and Panther bosses to Colchester Council’s scrutiny panel.

Councillors want to quiz the firms on punctuality, cost, customer service, disabled access and emissions.

The call was made by Colchester councillors Lee Scordis (Lab) and Phil Coleman (Lib Dem).

Mr Scordis said the issues are “beyond a joke”.

He said: “It’s about accountability and general concerns about how things are operated at the moment.

“The law says they can choose which services to run and which to cancel, and if they’re late by an hour in some cases, you complain to the bus company and get a generic email back.

“It’s called public transport but we’re paying for private companies to subsidise.”

Complaints have also been made about drivers being rude to disabled passengers and refusing to let people on paying with notes.

Late buses are also having a “big implication” on services for the rest of the day and customers are not being updated via the electronic timetables.

He added: “Compared to other buses, we’re also decades behind in terms of modernity and technology, and they’re regularly late.

“Cost is an issue as it’s sometimes cheaper to drive. Paying for a family to travel to the town centre can cost about £6.

“I believe the council has some powers to take them to task over emissions but they’re stuck in traffic and making it worse.

“The worse bus services are, the more you suffer with congestion and the less people want to use them.”

All but one company has so far pledged its support for the council’s plans.

Panther did not issue a statement.

Gazette:

What the other bus operators said:

Jeremy Cooper, managing director of Hedingham and Chambers, said: “Working together with local authorities is always the best approach for bus operators, as the authorities have various tools they can use to improve bus services, particularly by prioritising buses over cars.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with similar scrutiny enquiries in the past and we’re looking forward to the enhanced dialogue opportunities created by this useful initiative, as we continue to expand and develop our range of bus services.”

Steve Hartman, operations manager of First, in Colchester, said: “We always welcome the opportunity to work with local stakeholders to discuss how public transport can be improved.

“We work closely with Essex County Council, councillors and other representatives from businesses and local parishes and regularly attend meetings to discuss the provision of bus services in Colchester.

“I’m sure the committee will provide all attendees with an open platform to share ideas, discuss future investment and feedback on residents’ experiences using bus services.”

Glen Shuttleworth, area managing director at Arriva, said: “We’re looking forward to working with the local authority on their targets of improving air quality and journey times in the area.

“New bus lanes and giving buses greater priority over other vehicles will help and we’re keen to explore these ideas further.

“Across our Southern Counties network we’re making an ongoing and substantial investment in our fleet.

“We also continually review our timetables to ensure we’re running a punctual and reliable service.”

“After introducing a number of timetable changes in Colchester, in June, having identified minor issues on some routes, we’re are happy those alterations have led to improved performance across the district.”