‘Devastating’: Redcar Arriva bus depot at risk of closure with ‘limited’ potential job losses
Redcar’s Arriva bus depot is at risk of being permanently shut.
The depot, in Dormanstown, and its driver relief point by the clock in the town centre could both be set for the chop.
All Redcar-based colleagues were invited to an employee meeting at 6pm on Tuesday (June 2) at Redcar Racecourse for an “important business update”.
Arriva has since confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a consultation process has begun regarding the Redcar depot’s proposed closure, which may result in “a limited number of job losses”, with most employees being transferred to alternative depots.
On Tuesday evening, the leader of Redcar & Cleveland Council, Labour Councillor Alec Brown posted on social media that he had received “devastating information” that Arriva was “allegedly” planning on closing its Redcar and Dormanstown depots, transferring operations to Stockton and Whitby.
Redcar’s Labour MP Anna Turley shared much of the same sentiment on social media, saying that for many people, travelling to Stockton or Whitby every day “simply isn’t realistic”. She said: “Longer journeys mean more time away from family, higher costs and uncertainty for the future.”
Coun Brown was worried about such additional costs forcing “experienced employees” to leave their jobs, adding: “At a time when bus operators face challenges recruiting and retaining drivers, losing skilled local staff would be a serious mistake.”
He urged Arriva to reconsider, saying: “The people who have helped make Arriva’s services a success deserve better than uncertainty about their future.”
Both Ms Turley and Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen shared Arriva’s belief that there would be no bus driver redundancies, but on Wednesday morning, Arriva confirmed that there could be job losses on the horizon.
Mayor Houchen was discussing the matter on BBC Radio Tees’ hot seat on the morning of Wednesday (Jun 3), where he said Arriva was “in effect reducing their costs by getting rid of a depot”.
The mayor did not believe that Arriva’s engagement with TVCA was where it should be, highlighting a better working relationship with Stagecoach, the other main bus operator in Tees Valley.
A spokesperson for Arriva North East said: “We have begun a consultation process with colleagues at our Redcar depot regarding its proposed closure.
“While the proposal may result in a limited number of job losses, our priority is to minimise any impact on colleagues and provide support throughout the process. The proposal forms part of our ongoing efforts to ensure we operate as efficiently and effectively as possible across the region.
“The majority of affected colleagues would transfer to alternative depots, and we are committed to supporting all employees fully during this period. Bus services in the area will continue to operate as normal, and customers should not experience disruption to the services they rely on.”