Transport chiefs welcome bus funding announcement

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Monday, 14 October 2019 03:35

By Carmelo Garcia - Local Democracy Reporter

Transport chiefs hope the county will benefit from a Government pledge to invest £220m in improving bus services across the country.

More than £20m of that funding will be set aside for new bus express lanes in the West Midlands and local authorities will be given an extra £30m to improve current services and restore lost services where it is most needed.

The spending proposals for 2020/21 would also see contactless payments introduced on all buses and a plan for Britain’s first all-electric bus town
Herefordshire Council’s infrastructure and transport cabinet member John Harrington said he was very encouraged by the government’s recent announcements to provide further support for buses and the development of a national bus strategy.

He said officers monitor for funding opportunities and will be asking for such funding for public transport to be spent in the county.

Coun Harrington also suggested they would look into the feasibility of creating a countywide bus network.

“The announcements include a number of elements which I will be keen to look at in more detail when the government publishes its detailed prospectus,” he said.

“We monitor funding opportunities that arise for the council to bid on and we most certainly will be applying for any relating to public transport, including buses and will be actively lobbying for this kind of investment in Herefordshire in line with the administration’s objectives.

“We will be examining the feasibility of city and countywide bus system, similar to the Hereford Hopper bus system that we had in the late 80s/early 90s, ensuring that, if possible, these buses are electric or hydrogen fuelled and used not just in the City but our market towns and villages.”