Inside Salisbury: Local authorities to have more control over buses
UK Government awards millions of pounds to Wiltshire Council as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan
by Annette J Beveridge
BUS services are set to improve across the county following funding worth millions of pounds from the Department of Transport.
The funding worth almost £7m is for an investment in bus services for 2025 and 2026 and is part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to help county bus services.
Areas of investment include extended hours and increased frequency for some services, improved passenger waiting facilities and upgrading services to serve key areas which include healthcare.
Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Tamara Reay, said: “We welcome this additional Government funding into Wiltshire's bus services. With this funding, we can now build on the proposals outlined in our Bus Service Improvement Plan to provide more enhanced bus services across the county, as well as other investments to help improve the bus passenger experience.
“We are investing significantly in buses across the county and are always looking at innovative ways to deliver the right services that benefit the most people, whether it's our pioneering Wiltshire Connect services in the Pewsey Vale area, or the electric buses in Salisbury, which we're working closely with Salisbury Reds on as part of the Government's ZEBRA programme.”
The ZEBRA programme stands for Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas and the Bus Services Bill was introduced in the House of Lords to put buses at the heart of communities. The aim is to enhance connections to work and increase reliability and living standards.
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The plan lifts the ban on local authorities from establishing their own bus companies and will make it easier for them to control services and to shape routes. The bill will also empower local authorities to work alongside private operators to improve bus services if choosing to not pursue full ownership.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “It is high time we recognise that local leaders need to be able to make decisions about their buses. The introduction of the Bus Services Bill marks the next step on our journey to overhaul how bus services operate, delivering on our commitment to improve living standards across the country.”
In an ongoing drive to improve buses, the government allocated £955 million in bus funding last month. This follows an intervention to cap single bus fares at £3, keeping travel affordable, with savings of up to 80% on some routes.
The bill will also improve safety for both passengers and staff by mandating that drivers undertake training to identify and respond to threats of violence against women and girls and anti-social behaviour on buses and at bus stops.
