Bus services across Lincolnshire are set to be improved further thanks to a new £6m Government boost – part of a national £150m investment in transport from HS2 savings.
Residents in North Lincolnshire with benefit from almost £1m. Council leader Rob Waltham has welcomed the latest cash injection which will be used to keep communities in Ashby, Brigg, Barton, Scunthorpe – and across the Isle of Axholme – better connected.
Cllr Waltham said: “Public transport is essential for keeping families and communities connected, it enables people to access work and education – this cash will make a huge difference.
“The impact of supporting the bus network across North Lincolnshire will be significant – I welcome the Government making the long-term decision to reinvest every penny of savings from HS2 into local transport – this is further evidence of a commitment to levelling up.”
The cash is the first part of a wider proposal to invest £1bn of HS2 savings to deliver long-term improvements to bus services across the Midlands and the North.
It comes on top of £100m from Government for the area through the Towns Fund, Future High Streets, UKSPF, Levelling-Up and Family Hubs – much of which is being used to create a new future in the town centre.
Cllr Tim Mitchell, cabinet member for connectivity, said: “We’ve already had a great deal of Government cash to improve bus services, and while we know there is further to go, this money will go a long way to securing a brighter future for passengers who want to visit family, friends or do some shopping.
“We’ll be using it to improve services, to make them cheaper and to make them more reliable – just as we have pledged to recently through the bus charter.”
North Lincolnshire Council, which has been funding a bus pilot through the Low Villages and across the Isle, recently launched its bus charter which commits to a raft of improvements to bus journeys. It is designed to ensure the best possible experience for passengers.
The council, Stagecoach, Hornsby Travel and East Yorkshire Buses signed the charter which commits to provide routes to key communities, to fair and transparent ticketing, and people travelling in comfort and safety on reliable services which are accessible to everyone.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Buses are the most popular form of public transport, which is why we are continuing to back our buses with record high levels of funding supporting vital bus services and offering affordable travel for passengers.
“This increase in funding to deliver more reliable, frequent and affordable local bus services and to extend the £2 bus fare cap has only been possible with the redirected HS2 funding secured by this government making the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
The £2 bus fare cap has been extended across England until 31 December 2024 – bringing the total investment in the cap to £600m.
North Lincolnshire will receive £965,000 while North East Lincolnshire residents will get £893,000 and residents across the county council area will get £4.35m.
