Plans aimed at improving public transport in Beds and Bucks revealed
The scheme is called "The Bus Service Improvement Plan" and sets out an ambitious strategy to improve buses.
Last updated 7th Nov 2021
Following the publication of the government’s National Bus Strategy – Bus Back Better – Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire Council's have committed to teaming up with local operators to improve services.
The Bus Service Improvement Plan sets out how they will work together to deliver positive changes for the benefit of passengers.
The aim of the scheme's is to make buses more frequent, more reliable, easier to use and better coordinated for local users.
The National Bus Strategy also gives a greater role for local authorities, in the planning and provision of bus services and sets out government plans to spend £3 billion they have committed to improve bus services outside London.
This will include providing funding direct to local authorities to help deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans
Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport at Buckinghamshire Council, said: “The current, deregulated funding model for bus services is not meeting the needs of passengers, with little incentive for integrated ticketing, or for operators to run services that are unprofitable outside of peak hours. Also, some services which could be run commercially prior to Covid-19 are now struggling to do so without financial support.
“Our new Bus Service Improvement Plan puts users at the heart of the strategy. Before creating and adopting our Bus Service Improvement Plan, we ran a public consultation that resulted in more than 2,000 residents and local organisations telling us what they’d like to see improved with Buckinghamshire’s bus services. I’d like to thank everyone who provided feedback and suggestions as part of this consultation. Their stated priorities have helped to shape our new plan.”
While Executive Member for Community Services at Bedfordshire Council, Councillor Ian Dalgarno said: "The Bus Service Improvement Plan will help us provide residents with a modern sustainable bus service that’s appealing to users.
"Buses are vitally important for Central Bedfordshire. They link our towns and villages and connect people with other areas too. They can be the main form of transport for some people, so we need to provide a high quality but affordable service.
“We also want to make buses a ‘go to’ mode of transport for more people in our communities. If we can encourage more people to use our buses in the future instead of their cars, this will have major benefits. It will help us to reduce traffic on our roads, improve air quality and tackle climate change."
The Bus Service Improvement Plan is a live document, which will be updated on an annual basis following publication.