Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet today – Thursday 9 May – approved a significant package of investments designed to improve the county’s bus network.
A two-year programme of investment – valued at £5.466 million – will be funded by the Department for Transport's (DfT) Phase 2 Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP+) fund and Phase 3 Network North BSIP funding allocations.
This funding will allow the County Council to:
Maintain and improve existing bus services: This includes ensuring continued access to key locations like workplaces, schools, hospitals, and town centres.
Create more attractive bus services: The council will work with operators to make buses a more appealing option, by exploring increased evening and weekend services, fare initiatives, multi-operator ticketing, and targeted marketing campaigns.
Increase bus patronage: The council’s goal is to see more people using buses, which will lead to services that are currently subsidised becoming commercially viable in the longer term.
Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: "This funding is a fantastic opportunity to not only maintain but also improve bus services across Warwickshire. We know that reliable and frequent buses are vital for connecting people to jobs, education, and essential services.
“This important investment will also enable us to explore ways to make buses a more attractive choice for everyone and a viable alternative to vehicles for journeys as we pursue our net zero ambition for Warwickshire."
A copy of this Cabinet report is available here: https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s36717/Update%20on%20the%20Warwickshire%20Bus%20Service%20Improvement%20Plan%20for%202024-25.pdf
