A BRIGHTER bus service could be around the corner, after Wokingham Borough Council was awarded more than £400,000 by the government.
The funding will go towards its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and has been awarded by the Department of Transport (DfT).
The plan aims to help the borough have faster and more reliable services, simpler and more affordable fares, greener fleets, closer links with other travel networks and better access in rural areas.
It builds on the current government initiative of a £2 fare for single journeys, regardless of distance. This runs until the end of October, when the fare will rise to £2.50.
The DfT’s award is for £401,322 and is part of an £80 million fund shared between 63 local transport authorities, and is part of a wider bid to help subsidised bus services recover after the coronavirus pandemic.
The council says it is now drawing up an “enhanced partnership” – a legal agreement with local operators – to decide which ideas to progress.
Cllr Stephen Conway, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, said the funding was a promising step towards making bus travel more appealing for everyone, whether for work or leisure.
“We’re still in talks with the DfT about the most effective way to spend the money, and we look forward to building on our strong relationships with operators as we move any schemes forward. We’ll also keep doing all we can to attract more funding for better services in future,” he said.
“These are hard times financially, but we must keep our buses going day-to-day if we want to maintain a solid foundation for any improvements and work towards building a more sustainable, accessible and affordable network in the long term.
“To help us achieve this, we urge everyone to keep supporting local services as much as they can. We know some car trips are still necessary but before you travel, please stop to consider whether you could take the bus instead of driving.”
