“Our previously high levels of service have been compromised in more recent times”: Staff shortages cause delays to local bus service

The local bus service Salisbury Reds is experiencing delays and cancellations on a number of local bus routes as a result of staff shortages.

The company announced that from midday today (22nd December 2021), some journeys on the R1 service won’t run, while yesterday saw a reduced service on the Active 8.

Speaking about the recent disturbance and staffing issues, the general manager of Salisbury Reds, Alex Chutter said, “We are still in the grip of a global pandemic, and the last two years have put a considerable strain on individuals, governments, businesses and services across the world.

“I understand the frustrations people are feeling, they are echoed by our team here at Salisbury Reds. Our previously high levels of service have been compromised in more recent times, and for this I apologise.

“We are doing all we can to minimise any disruption, which is the result of a number of factors impacting our industry, and a number of others, at the moment. We currently have a shortage of drivers, and we are actively recruiting and training prospective colleagues in order to mitigate this issue. However, it takes time to do this, and relies upon swift action from organisations, like DVLA. For obvious reasons, this has not always been the case.

“There have been times when the driver shortage has been further compounded by short notice absence from other colleagues, and it has not been possible to deliver the levels of service we would like to.

“When we experience network disruption, we try to minimise the impact on any particular service, by bringing in drivers from other routes. Unfortunately, there are still times when this disruption is noticeable and we are very sorry for that.

“I would like to reassure our customers that we are continuing to recruit drivers as efficiently as current circumstances allow, and hope that the new year will provide us with a greater opportunity to return to our usual high standards.”

To keep up to date with Salisbury Reds, bus timetables and services click here.