‘Hotspots’ need extra cash, says First Bus chief
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson – a self-confessed bus enthusiast – revealed plans in February to spend an extra £5bn to provide more frequent bus services and simpler, more affordable fares.
He said the cash injection, announced when the HS2 rail scheme was given the go-ahead, will go on new priority routes for buses and 4,000 “zero-carbon” buses in England and Wales.
Prior to the £5bn announcement, the Government set out plans for the UK’s “first ever long-term bus strategy and funding settlement”, with a package worth £220m.
Paul Matthews, of First Bus, said funding should be used to pay for more of the bus priority measures already being put in place in Leeds and West Yorkshire to help buses get through congestion hotspots.
He advocated “protecting those services which are no longer commercially viable but which are socially necessary, because of the cutbacks which authorities have been put under”.
Two schemes included in the Better Deal for Bus Users package require local leaders to bid for a share of the money. One town will benefit from up to £50m to tackle poor air quality as part of the All-Electric Bus Towns scheme, which will pay 75 per cent of the cost of the upgrade from diesel to electric buses.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s transport committee chairwoman, Kim Groves, criticised the short-term nature of the funding and the small amounts being handed out.
She said local authorities like hers ought to be given control over a large portion of the promised £5bn to “give us the option to actually get on and deliver what we want for local services”.
Coun Groves added: “Bus funding and governance models need a radical long-term overhaul that delivers value for money, reliability and affordability. Covid-19 has caused Government to underwrite Transport for London’s lost fare income and to suspended rail franchising – similar action is needed for buses.”
Buses Minister Baroness Vere said: “I know how crucial buses are to Yorkshire communities, providing key links to work, school, shops and family and friends, and remaining a vital route for workers during the pandemic.”
As well as putting in more than £600m in emergency funding, she said the Government was “committed to maintaining and improving vital transport links”.
“Yorkshire is already at the heart of a transformative programme for local public transport, with a DfT-backed public transport investment programme in Leeds,” she added.
“This ambitious DfT-funded programme comprises public transport schemes, like high frequency bus routes, park and ride sites, real time passenger information, improved transport hubs and interchanges, and development work on three new rail stations – Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway, Thorpe Park and White Rose.
“Sheffield will also see significantly improved bus schemes thanks to our Transforming Cities Fund, with £166m to invest in new bus routes, improved access to rail stations and walking and cycling lanes.”