North Yorkshire misses out on bus funding as £116 million bid is rejected
The government has now announced North Yorkshire County Council won’t get any funding to improve services
Last updated 5th Apr 2022
North Yorkshire has missed out on millions of pounds to transform bus services after a funding bid was rejected by the government.
North Yorkshire County Council bid for £116 million to invest in services across the county, but the government has now announced it won’t get any funding.
Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, previously said while it was unlikely the county would get “anything near” the full amount it bid for from the Bus Back Better scheme, he was confident that some cash would come to North Yorkshire.
But he has since expressed his surprise and disappointment at yesterday’s announcement that North Yorkshire won’t get any financial support.
“We knew the Bus Back Better budget had been severely curtailed… but I expected to get some money, not nothing at all, so I’m very disappointed,” councillor Mackenzie said.
The government claimed areas that failed to get the cash had not shown “sufficient ambition”. In total, just 34 of 79 areas which applied were successful.
In Yorkshire, this included the West Yorkshire Combined Authority which submitted a bid for £168 million, but was given £70 million, while City of York Council wanted £48 million and got £17.4 million.
Councillor Mackenzie said he believed the plans for North Yorkshire were ambitious enough to win funding and that he was now keen to speak to government officials to understand their decision.
“I don’t think our plans lacked ambition,” he said.
“They were worth £116 million over eight years – that doesn’t lack ambition or aspiration.
“Until such time we have spoken to ministers or senior civil servants, I can’t say exactly what was lacking from our submission.”
“I’m very anxious that this trial scheme still goes ahead irrespective of today’s result.”