Bus Funding for Wokingham = £0

In March 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a once-in-a-generation shake up of the bus sector, that would see lower, simpler flat fares in towns and cities and backed by £3 billion of investment with more frequent and reliable services.

Local transport authorities across England submitted bids in January this year, for this pot of funding and before the ink was even dry, the Conservative government cut the fund by 50%.

Last week the Department for Transport announced which authorities had been successful and there were 31 of them, including Reading (£26.3m), West Berkshire (£2.6m) and Oxfordshire (£12.7m). Sadly, Wokingham got £0.

The reaction of the Conservative Leader of the Council, John Halsall, to the media was “I wouldn’t get on a bus to save my life at the moment, why would you put yourself in that situation”.

If that’s Wokingham Borough Council’s attitude to buses, it is hardly surprising their bid for funding buses was unsuccessful.

We need good bus services in this Borough.

Not everyone has the luxury of a car, and the bus is an essential way for them to travel.

Not to mention the vital role public transport plays in cutting congestion and tackling climate change.

I along with many other residents use local buses on a regular basis and they are safe John.

Wokingham Borough Council failed to secure funding because they’re not taking buses seriously and don’t have a viable plan, a point that I raised at Overview and Scrutiny committee and Full Council in February.

The Leader of the Council should be ashamed – both of his attitude and his council’s failure to get any money from the government to help provide buses.

When your bus service is cut blame the Conservatives.

Paul Fishwick, Borough Councillor for Winnersh and Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Highways and Transport