Zero Government funding for buses allocated to Telford & Wrekin
Council leaders disappointed after Government funding request for local services is rejected
The Department for Transport has today announced funding in excess of £1bn for bus transformation plans for 31 areas - with none made available to Telford & Wrekin Council.
Due to funding reductions, councils across the country have struggled to maintain bus services, not provided by commercial operators.
The council responded to the Governments national bus strategy - Bus Back Better - by publishing an ambitious bus service improvement plan with details on how improvements could be implemented.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Enforcement & Transport, Councillor Richard Overton (Lab) said: “We have long prioritised funding, protecting evening and weekend services for longer than many other councils. A fair share of national funding is essential to maintain and improve our services – we can only do so much.
“At the Government’s request, we put forward a plan for improvements totalling £41m in an incredibly challenging timeframe to include more frequent services, reduced fares, new vehicles and better support on the street. Yet we feel that Government has let us down by not doing its part.
“Bus services should have a role in levelling up, enabling people to access work, education and training and we are incredibly disappointed to have received nothing – particularly after the time and energy invested in the bid. This falls flat on action to support communities without access to cars or prefer bus travel as a more sustainable method of travel.
“The lack of Government investment means it may be difficult to continue to maintain the current level of service let alone make improvements to services, despite showing bus travel is on the rise.
“This funding formed part of a longer term investment plan and we feel the announcements are short-sighted and contradictory to the Government’s desire to level-up bus services nationally.
“Yet again Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire will miss out on investment as the Government prioritises others, it is deeply disappointing.”
Although the Council is still hoping to deliver some bus stop infrastructure improvement schemes set out in its planned 2021/22 Pride in Our Community investment programme, it warns it may have no choice but to cancel other improvement plans.
