Better local bus services are on the horizon thanks to a £3 billion boost for bus funding, says Shrewsbury’s MP.
This week’s government announcement heralds the unlocking of faster, cheaper and more reliable services for millions of passengers, says Julia Buckley.
She said: “I am proud to announce that the Labour government has unveiled a £3 billion boost for bus funding. Locally, this means that Shropshire will receive £13 million worth of funding over the next three years, resulting in much better services within Shrewsbury.
“In addition, the Bus Services Act, which I proudly supported in Parliament this year, marks a turning point for public transport. It means buses can now be planned to meet community needs, not just profit margins.
“I met with Simon Lightwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport, to discuss how we can make the very best use of this new legislation for Shrewsbury and our villages.
“I’m thrilled that faster, cheaper and more reliable services are on the way after what was a spiral of decline in bus services under the previous government, a time when Shropshire lost more buses than anywhere else in England.
“Now, every region in England will benefit from the new funding – but particularly those areas which have been historically under-served, like rural areas and small towns such as ours.
“This funding will help both ease the cost of living and make it much easier for people to get to work, hospital appointments and social occasions, driving economic growth. Plus – more bus services will help with the transport integration we are striving for.
“People will know I have already worked hard to secure a night bus trial for Shrewsbury, which acts as a blueprint for how local legislators and all interested parties can come together to develop services that meet real community needs.”
The MP added that the Shrewsbury night bus trial – launched on November 24 – is already proving a success.
“I’m delighted to say the trial has already attracted many positive comments from passengers, and uptake in its first week was encouraging with 373 passengers hopping on. It could very well pave the way for a roll-out of such services in the New Year.”
The Shrewsbury night bus trial is currently running Monday to Saturday until midnight across three key routes – N11 Oxon, N25 Harlescott, and N27 Bayston Hill.
These Arriva services are funded by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership (SBTPP), coordinated by Shrewsbury BID with strong support from the Shrewsbury Transport Integration Group (STIG) which was founded by the MP to help improve local public transport.