Funding for DalesBus

​​Most of the Sunday and Bank Holiday bus network in the Yorkshire Dales is now managed by the Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company, together with some Saturday buses. This volunteer-run company, owned by the Yorkshire Dales Society, is most grateful to those organisations who have already confirmed their continued support for DalesBus, including the Yorkshire Dales Society, the National Trust, the Friends of DalesBus and Arriva Rail North, but is urgently seeking additional funding for the future. Anyone who may be able to assist or is interested in finding out more is asked to get in touch by email as soon as possible.

The Friends of DalesBus also support DalesBus and would welcome any donations online via PayPal to their Bus Operating Fund (for any larger donations of £250 or over where Gift Aid may be available please contact us before donating).

Why does DalesBus need financial support?
The economics of rural bus operation are such that a level of financial support is required to cover operating costs (there are no overhead costs as the company is managed by volunteers) and D&BCIC is now facing a serious funding shortfall.

We recognise the need to improve the sustainability of our services and have increased fares, maintained a high level of marketing, and reduced the number of operating days of some of our summer services. These measures have resulted in improved financial performance with one service now running on a commercial basis and another with a significantly reduced subsidy. We are also exploring new funding options, contacting local businesses for support and making it easier for individuals to make donations.
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What are the benefits?
We know how important DalesBus is for not only local people and businesses in the Dales, but also for visitors from surrounding areas and to tourists:

• It provides access to the Dales from the inner city, areas of deprivation, and a range of ethnic backgrounds - people without access to their own transport living in the towns and cities that in many cases would otherwise be unable to visit these areas - people on low incomes, older people and young people without access to their own transport as well as many overseas visitors. 
• It encourages more active lifestyles with physical and mental health benefits as well as helping to address loneliness and social isolation which particularly affects older people.
• Income from bus users helps to maintain the viability of local businesses, supports local employment and the survival of local Dales communities.
• It provides local people with access to public transport, work, essential services, friends and families on days when no other services operate.

A survey undertaken on behalf of the Dales Integrated Transport Alliance in 2012 provides strong evidence of the economic, social and environmental benefits of DalesBus:

• Economic: Complete withdrawal of Sunday buses would lead to a loss of spending in the local economy of £260k per annum, and make more difficult the promotion of 'green' tourism. The loss of business comes about because only about half of existing Sunday bus trips would be made by other means were Sunday bus services to be withdrawn; the rest would not be made at all or would go to alternative destinations.
• Social: Of those currently using DalesBus more than 50% would find it difficult or impossible to travel to or in the Dales without these services. Only 3% reported that removal of Sunday bus services would have little or no impact on them. There is a heavy concentration of non-car owners amongst poorer people, teenagers and the elderly, all of whom are heavy users of existing services. Many of these people are elderly and isolated, and the buses enable them to participate in activities which bring them fresh air, exercise and contact with other people. 
• Environmental: By attracting car users to public transport, DalesBus reduces traffic in environmentally sensitive areas, relieving congestion, parking problems and emissions.