Call for bus upgrades in rural areas
COUNCILLORS representing some of Northumberland’s most rural wards have called for improvements to bus services in their areas.
It comes as Northumberland County Council prepares to submit its plans for the North East’s draft Enhancement Partnership Plan to access £163.5m in funding from the Department for Transport, which will be spent on improving bus services across the region.
The council’s interim deputy chief executive, Rick O’Farrell, noted that the funding was “significantly less” than the region’s local transport authority had put forward – but was more than any other region on a pro-rata basis.
Due to time pressures, the plan put forward will be decided by council leader Glen Sanderson in consultation with Mr O’Farrell - and at Tuesday’s meeting of the council’s cabinet, Coun Sanderson’s fellow cabinet members urged him to improve rural bus services.
Coun Colin Horncastle, who represents the South Tynedale ward, said: “I would like to see this achieve something, because it is not just a matter of improving the bus service – in my division there are eight parishes and only one has a bus.
“We’re never going to reach green targets in rural parts of Northumberland because there is no transport at all. Blanchland hasn’t had a bus for as long as people can remember.
“It should be possible to have smaller forms of transport rather than the big buses. I’m sure the leader will put these points forward.
“It is very important we take this chance to improve rural bus services.”
Coun John Riddle, who represents Bellingham, said: “Our first service has to be to local communities. Coun Horncastle and I represent probably the most rural divisions in the county. You can’t run empty buses, but these on-demand services may work.”
Coun Sanderson said: “I think this is fantastic news; it is a very large amount of Government money.
“We want our fair share and I’m sure we will get it.”
You can’t run empty buses, but on-demand services may work Coun John Riddle