The government has announced a £246m investment to improve bus services across the South West, including £42.4m specifically for the West of England.
The multi-year funding allows local authorities to spend the money as they see fit, enabling schemes such as the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s Kids Go Free initiative. The £42.4m for the West of England equates to more than £14m per year, with North Somerset Council receiving a separate allocation.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “After years of decline, better buses are finally on the way. Our £3bn investment will give local authorities the long-term funding they need to deliver lower fares, more frequent services, and the reliable transport that communities depend on. We’ve already extended the £3 bus fare cap to help people with their everyday journeys, and now we’re backing this with the funding councils need to transform their local services.”
She added that the investment forms part of a broader plan to make public transport cheaper nationwide, alongside frozen rail fares and the creation of Great British Railways. “Whether it’s the bus to work, the train to see family, or getting to a hospital appointment, affordable transport is essential to bearing down on the cost of living and growing our economy,” Alexander said.
Simon Lightwood, minister for roads and buses, said: “For too long passengers have been let down by unreliable services, sub-standard bus stations and over a decade of routes being cut. This £3bn boost will change this, providing passengers with lower fares, more frequent and reliable services and safer journeys – helping both ease the cost of living and making it easier for people to get to work, hospital appointments and social plans, boosting the economy.”
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, welcomed the funding, calling it “another vote of confidence in the new chapter we’ve started in the West Country.” She highlighted the impact of new green electric buses and confirmed the return of the Kids Go Free scheme for the Christmas school holidays. Godwin said the three-year settlement empowers councils to continue developing a bus network that meets local needs.
