£4m plan to improve Blackpool’s bus services

More than £4m of funding is set to be spent on improving bus services in Blackpool including upgrading shelters. It will go towards implementing Blackpool’s Bus Service Improvement Plan which sets out a number of priorities including bus lanes on Talbot Road, replacing worn out bus shelters and deep cleaning, says the BBC. The funding […]
‘Licence for Greater Manchester’ launched for Bee Network bus drivers

Greater Manchester has launched a new scheme to make becoming a Bee Network bus driver a more attractive long-term and flexible career. The Licence for Greater Manchester (LfGM) will ensure drivers do not have to go on the starter rate of pay when changing between operators – as has traditionally been the case – in […]
Transport Committee to examine ways to run bus services

Two areas of the country, London and Manchester, have adopted the ‘franchising’ model for running bus services, so could it work elsewhere? In an Evidence Session on Wednesday 26 March at 09:15 in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, Westminster, the House of Commons Transport Committee will question regional transport leaders and experts to explore the pros […]
ITS UK tells Parliament’s Transport Committee: Sustainable funding and changes to regulations needed for DRT

Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, has appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee to give evidence for their Buses Connecting Communities inquiry. Speaking on the use of demand responsive transport (DRT) systems, Sugarman urged the Committee to consider: The session also covered a variety of topics around buses, with ITS UK urging a more […]
Highland Council proposes £6m investment in bus expansion projects

As part of The Highland Council’s proposed three-year Medium Term Financial Plan, £14 million has been allocated for expansion of bus company operations across the Highlands and shared investment in renewable energy opportunities. £6 million is proposed to be allocated for an ‘Investment in Community Transport’ programme to build on the success of the Council’s in-house […]
Confederation of Passenger Transport calls for bold investment in bus services to drive economic growth

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has today submitted proposals to the Government’s Spending Review, emphasising that better buses are key to achieving economic growth and improving quality of life for communities across Britain. At the CPT’s conference last month, the Minister for Local Transport Simon Lightwood identified buses as a vital tool to advance […]
Transport Committee publishes raft of written evidence for its ‘Buses’ and ‘Street works’ inquiries

The House of Commons Transport Committee has published written evidence submissions for two of its ongoing inquiries: Buses connecting communities and Managing the impact of street works. The submissions include detailed responses to the terms of reference that the Committee set out for each inquiry. Among the organisations that provided over 120 evidence submissions to […]
Minister for Local Transport pledges to end ‘cycle of decline’ in bus travel

Buses and coaches are central to the Government’s mission of kickstarting economic growth according to a keynote address to the CPT Conference by the Minister for Local Transport. Addressing more than 150 representatives of the bus and coach industry in London today, Simon Lightwood MP pledged to reverse a long-term decline in the number of […]
Worcestershire on-demand bus services expand further

The Worcestershire On-Demand bus services in Bromsgrove and surrounding areas and Malvern Hills have been expanded, improving the reach of the already successful services even further. The services, which enable people to book a bus to pick them up and take them to a location anywhere within the zone and some key places outside of […]
Shelved Scottish bus fare cap plan “lets down workers and commuters” says Green MSP

The introduction of a £2 flat bus fare would be a big boost for communities, public transport and our climate, says Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who has called on the Scottish Government to introduce the change as part of this year’s budget. The comments follow evidence at the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee […]