'Stranded' corner of Liverpool where bus strikes highlight need for change
| Published date | 13 August 2022 |
| Publication title | Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England) |
As Arriva said they were hopeful an end is in sight to the dispute, we spoke to people in Croxteth -and found support for the strike even among people who said they were struggling to access key transport as a result.
Croxteth, over six miles from Liverpool city centre and sharing a border with Knowsley, is largely served by two regular bus routes in and out of the area. But for much of the last month, this has been reduced to one -running at reduced service as the Arriva strike continues into its 25th day.
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In some areas circling around Croxteth Park, few services are running all together -specifically heading directly to town. In the more residential areas in the west, passengers are cramming on the number 14 still in operation by Stagecoach.
Arriva drivers walked out in July over calls for fairer and improved pay, however there has yet to be a breakthrough with the most recent talks collapsing. For an area so reliant on buses to reconnect it to the rest of the city, residents in the area are having to adapt to get around -but it’s coming at a cost.
For Charlie Johnson, 57, it’s around £70 a week on taxis. Mr Johnson has recently had surgery on an injured leg and requires a walking aid.
He cannot travel long distances on foot and the infrequent buses means he’s having to spend more on taxi travel. “It’s terrible”, he told the ECHO, sitting near a bus stop waiting to be picked up.
He suggests taxis have become more expensive since the strike started, with demand higher than ever in areas without access to Merseyrail and with fewer buses on the road. He adds: “The cost of everything is going up, it’s getting worse with energy bills.”
Mr Johnson says he can “manage” for now, but questions whether his outgoings can keep up if the strikes were to continue much longer. He adds that the usual day saver of around £4 provides much easier means of travelling around -when Arriva drivers aren’t on strike.
At the same bus stop, Cerys Garner, 21, is making her way back from a shift. A medical student based in Kensington, she is reliant on the bus to get from central Liverpool to her...
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