Bus travel in Warwickshire is set to receive a facelift with new bus stations and shelters, improved locations for stops, Real Time Information displays and upgraded roads along bus routes among the highlights of a multi-million pound package of improvements.
At its meeting yesterday (12 November 2026), Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet approved plans to inject over £12 million into the Council’s Capital Programme to help transform bus infrastructure and passenger facilities across the county.
The funding, from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG), will be deployed over a four-year period (2026-27 to 2029-30) to deliver priority schemes outlined in the recently submitted Warwickshire Local Transport Delivery Plan.
With improvements entirely funded by the DfT grant, the critical infrastructure projects will have no impact on the Council’s core budget.
The initial phase of the programme allocates a combined £7.002 million specifically for key bus interchange schemes, commencing from 2027-28 onwards.
The focal points of this investment include:
Nuneaton Bus Station Reconfiguration (£6 million): The delivery of a modern, efficient, and passenger-focused bus station. Designed on a reduced footprint, the project will release land to support the wider economic regeneration of the town centre as a key component of the Transforming Nuneaton Programme.
Rugby Town Centre Bus Interchange Enhancements (£250,000): Upgrades to bus stops on North Street and Church Street, including new shelters and strategic repositioning. This aligns with the Rugby Town Centre Public Realm Masterplan to reduce traffic movements, increase pedestrian footfall, and create a more welcoming urban environment.
Countywide Minor Enhancements (£752,000): Targeted improvements to vital bus stops across the county, featuring new shelters, surfacing upgrades, and the rollout of Real-Time Information (RTI) displays. Key settlements which could benefit include Alcester, Bidford-on-Avon, Coleshill, Henley-in-Arden, Kingsbury, Shipston-on-Stour, Studley, and Water Orton.
The remaining £5.049 million of the grant allocation will be directed toward expanding other priority infrastructure measures, including Quality Bus Corridor enhancements, multi-bus operator smartcard pilots, bus priority at key junctions, and comprehensive RTI systems.
Cllr Stephen Shaw, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said:
“This £12 million funding investment is a significant milestone for Warwickshire’s public transport network. By modernising our bus interchanges – particularly through major projects like the Nuneaton Bus Station reconfiguration and vital town centre upgrades in Rugby – we are making bus travel a more attractive, reliable, and accessible option for our residents and our town’s potential visitors.
”These investments go far beyond transport. They are essential catalysts for economic regeneration in our town centres, promoting social inclusion, and they actively support our environmental and public health goals by encouraging more sustainable travel across the county.”
(Picture: Warwickshire County Council)
