A total of £19.6 million is to be awarded to 40 urban bus schemes, Transport Minister Tony McNulty announced today.
The money, from the Urban Bus Challenge Competition, will go to a wide range of bus schemes that help to tackle urban deprivation and social exclusion across England.
The Urban Bus Challenge is designed to help with the regeneration of deprived urban areas by improving local transport, targeting the support to areas that need it most. The 40 projects benefiting from this money are the winners of the third Urban Bus Challenge competition, which has now given out £53 million since 2001.
Today's awards follow the Local Transport Plan settlement last month in which major bus schemes in Northampton, West Yorkshire, Manchester, Coventry, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Luton worth £235 million were approved.
Tony McNulty said:
"The Government is committed to investing in public transport to offer real alternatives for people across the country. Buses are a major link for many people and the schemes which have been awarded funding today will bring real benefits to many communities.
"I am very pleased with the results of this year's competition which has seen the highest number of awards since the competition began. This year's award-winning schemes range from new or improved bus services to dial-a-ride initiatives. I am particularly encouraged by the response from local authorities and operators to our pilot Kickstart proposals and I look forward to seeing these schemes proving successful in bringing even more passengers onto buses"
Social Inclusion Minister Lord Rooker said:
"I'm delighted that so many communities are set to benefit from this year’s Urban Bus Challenge. We are aware of how important bus services are for millions of people and many of these services provide vital links for people to access employment, healthcare, shopping and leisure facilities.
"Good bus services will also play a vital part in creating sustainable communities in which people want to live, work and spend their leisure time."
The inclusion of pilot 'Kickstart' schemes this year is a new addition to the competition. These are schemes which with a certain amount of initial funding, have the potential to attract sufficient patronage to have a sustainable future - in many cases as commercial services. The bids are put forward in collaboration with local bus operators.
Among the 40 projects to receive funding are:
Norwich Orbital Route - £1,264,800
An orbital bus route linking residential and employment areas around the periphery of Norwich. Destinations include the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, University, Airport, Rail Station, and two Park and Ride sites. Service will operate every 30 minutes.
Brent Bus Challenge - £440,000
Funding for Brent Community Transport to purchase and operate two accessible minibuses over a two-year period. Localities served will include tube/rail interchanges, retail areas, primary healthcare facilities, an adult education centre, key employment centres and resource centres for people with physical and sensory difficulties. The buses will also link with more conventional bus services.
Hospital Link- Hartlepool - £730,336
Links the major hospital sites in the Tees Valley through improvement and extension of conventional services and provision of a new Hospital Shuttle service between University Hospital of Hartlepool and University Hospital of North Tees.
Burnley Employment Shuttle Transit (BEST) - £972,496
A mix of conventional and demand responsive services to improve transport links between deprived residential estates in Burnley and areas of employment. Includes four new vehicles; subsidised taxi service; and the extension of an existing commercial service linking large parts of Burnley to employment areas in the town.
Gravesend Urban Kickstart Project - £359,287
To provide a higher frequency service connecting the deprived estates of urban Gravesend with retail, health and leisure facilities, new vehicles to assist disabled and elderly passengers and improvements for vulnerable groups such as those with learning difficulties.
Trevithick Urban Link(Cornwall) - Delivering an Urban Renaissance - £525,000
3 main elements: a Kickstart route (Trevithick Urban Link) linking deprived wards to employment, education, health and leisure opportunities, a flexible education service (Flexi-Ed) to improve the skills base of the adult education market and the provision of personalised travel information focusing on the needs of the elderly and the disabled.
Notes to editors
1. The full list of the 40 successful schemes is attached at the end of this press notice.
2. A number of the projects which will receive funding involve new support for community transport organisations (for example the projects in Brent, Bolton, Bristol and Hastings). This is a further indication of the Government's recognition of the role that community transport plays in meeting local transport needs and tackling social exclusion.
3. The results of the Rural Bus Challenge 2003 competition which brings benefits to rural bus services are due to be announced shortly.
4. Full details of the major schemes which were approved in the Local Transport Settlement in December 2003 can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk
5. The Urban Bus Challenge competition was launched in June 2001. The criteria and bidding guidance for the 2003 competition are on the DfT web site at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk
6. Today's announcement helps contribute to the Government's Urban White Paper commitment to improve urban bus services. The introduction of pilot Kickstart schemes is a new element which aims to pump-prime services which local authorities and operators have identified as having sufficient potential for patronage growth to become commercial.
7. A total of 59 transport authorities bid for a total of 139 projects, costing almost £75 million, in this year's competition.
8. A table of details of Urban Bus Challenges 2004is attached.
