Is it possible to provide an unsubsidised local bus service which meets the needs of rural communities? Bus driver Steve Hurst is trying it in Northumberland. Last year he set up Spirit Buses, having carefully researched the market.
Now, there is a direct service between Rothbury and Alnwick, which takes just 20 minutes, the last bus timed so that customers can watch a play or a film without missing their ride home. Three days a week, a circular service connects Rothbury with Alwinton and all the villages in between on three well-spaced loops.
The services cover their costs and carry goods as well as passengers. Read all about it in The Guardian.