Mark Logan MP has welcomed the Government’s announcement of a revolutionary new bus strategy, backed by £3 billion of investment. The plans will see passengers across Bolton North East benefiting from more frequent, more reliable and cheaper bus services.
The strategy will require Bolton Council to work in partnership with bus operators to improve services for passengers in order to be eligible for funding in future.
Commenting, Mark Logan MP said:
“Good bus services can have a transformational role in places like Bolton North East, unlocking job opportunities, boosting businesses and supporting economic growth.
This new National Strategy Bus Strategy, backed by £3 billion, will help make to make this a reality – paving the way for simpler fares, more reliable services, and better connections across every part of the country.”
Councils and operators will be expected to provide:
- Simpler single bus fares with daily price caps, so people can use the bus as many times a day as they need without facing mounting costs.
- More services in the evenings and at the weekends.
- Integrated services and ticketing across all transport modes in the area, so people can easily move from bus to train.
- Easy to access information, including online, so that services are simple to use.
- All buses to accept contactless payments.
Under the new strategy, councils and operators will work in collaboration for the benefit of passengers. They will also be required to publish an improvement plan.
Targets include, improving passenger numbers, reliability and passenger satisfaction, in order to be eligible for future government funding.
Only councils and operators who work to meet these requirements will continue to receive the around £100 million per month emergency Covid funding for the sector, or any new sources of funding from the £3 billion investment.
Levelling up services across the country will help ensure more people turn to the bus, rather than the car, as the country builds back better and greener from the pandemic.
ENDS