Bus passengers are to benefit from an additional £20 million Government funding, Transport Minister Karen Buck announced today.
The funds, which will provide pump priming investment for new and improved bus services, will be shared among 43 schemes across England. The aim of the funds is to boost local bus use.
Transport Minister Karen Buck said:
"This is great news for bus users who will benefit from faster and more reliable services with better waiting facilities and improved journey experiences.
"Buses can offer inexpensive and flexible transport and can help tackle congestion by encouraging people out of their cars. This new funding demonstrates Government's commitment to buses.
"The winning schemes demonstrate how local authorities can work with bus operators to develop viable schemes which are well integrated into existing public transport. They will also contribute to wider objectives like social inclusion and future local development."
Among the 43 projects to receive funding are:
Cambridge sustainable transport 2020 Vision - phase 1 - £2,487,000
Partners: Cambridgeshire County Council/ Stagecoach
The first phase of a joint action plan between bus operators and Cambridgeshire County Council to implement long-term sustainable transport solutions.
Nottingham East Midlands airport bus strategy - Skylink Shuttle package - £701,571
Partners: Leicestershire County Council/ KinchBus / Arriva
This project will deliver improved access to Nottingham East Midlands Airport, through upgrades of the Nottingham Skylink bus service, and the Derby - Loughborough Airline Shuttle.
Regenerating Gainsborough - £419,000
Partners: Lincolnshire County Council/ Lincolnshire Road Car
The project aims to increase travel by bus within Gainsborough by entering into partnership with Lincolnshire Road Car to deliver InterTown, the County Council's highly successful market town initiative.
Medway service 176 cross town upgrade - £581,987
Partners: Medway Council/ Arriva Southern Counties
This project enhances the 176 bus service through Medway linking homes, businesses, shops, schools, regeneration areas, Medway Hospital and Chatham station.
Camborne Pool Redruth - Falmouth bus corridor - £520,395
Partners: Cornwall County Council/ First Devon & Cornwall
The Camborne / Pool / Redruth (CPR) - Falmouth corridor enhancement is a bus project that will deliver high quality services, information and infrastructure to support the spatial growth in employment and housing, as well as serving increasing student numbers in these two key urban centres over the next five years and beyond.
The full list of successful schemes is attached..
Notes to editors
The funds were awarded under the Kickstart Bus Challenge competition which gave local authorities, in partnership with operators, the opportunity to bid for funding to provide pump priming funds for new improved bus services. The services which will be developed by operators and local authorities, all have the potential to achieve viability through patronage growth within no more than three years. The successful schemes were selected from a total of 117 projects submitted by 60 local transport authorities in England.
The Kickstart schemes were piloted in the 2003 Bus Challenge competitions when 18 schemes were awarded almost £8 million. Following the success of the Urban & Rural Bus Challenge between 1998-2003, the introduction of Kickstart 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 viable within a three-year period.
