Staffordshire County council produce £113m ‘think big’ bus bid

Staffordshire County Council has signed off a £113 million bid to invest in the county’s bus services over three years.

The local authority bid will be submitted to the Department for Transport after the Government urged councils to ‘think big’.

The county council’s application includes:

• £33 million to introduce zero-emission vehicles;
• £7.5 million to identify and remedy ‘hot spots’ that delay services;
• £21 million for better quality bus shelters with real-time information;
• £23 million for improvements at town centre interchanges;
• £1 million for improved ticketing technology.

David Williams, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said:

“Government has urged us to submit ambitious ideas to invest in the future of post-pandemic public transport.

“There is an opportunity here to help modernise bus fleets, improve bus stops and interchanges to make them more comfortable and provide better information and encourage people to use their local services more often.”

Funding of around £16.5 million is also wanted to consolidate current support for the bus industry from Government, which is due to end, while ‘seed corn’ money is also wanted to support new evening and weekend routes, which will have to become commercially independent by the time the subsidy finishes.

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Also wanted is money to support a subsidised fare scheme for younger passengers, whether for post-16 education, work or leisure use.

The county council already works with bus companies in the region and both operators and passengers have been involved in drawing up the bid.

David Williams added:

“Reliable, regular bus services can support a town centre’s retail and leisure economy, help people get to work, or provide more choice for students deciding where to study.

“At the same time investment in greener bus fleets can make a huge difference to carbon reduction and air quality by introducing new technology and encouraging people to leave their cars at home.

“If Government delivers we will work closely with the operators to improve infrastructure and encourage them to develop ideas which become self-sustaining.”