11.02.20
Government announces £5bn investment into local transport
The Prime Minister will today (Feb 11) announce a £5bn funding package to overhaul bus and cycle links for every region outside of London.
The new vision from the Department of Transport (DfT) is set to deliver simpler fares, thousands of additional buses, improved routes and more frequency to local transport networks.
The investment will make everyday journeys easier and greener with the delivery of at least 4,000 new Zero Emission Buses, helping to meet ambitions of carbon neutrality.
More ‘turn up and go’ routes will be introduced to allow people to rely less heavily on timetables and journey planning, with more affordable fares.
New bus routes will be made more efficient, avoiding congestion and allowing bus passengers to avoid waiting in traffic, making choosing public transport not only the greener option but the more convenient.
Details of the five-year funding package announced today, will be set out in the upcoming National Bus Strategy, published later this year. It follows the allocation of £170m last week to support more electric buses, increase rural mobility and trial new ‘Superbus’ services.
250 miles of new, high-quality cycle routes and safe urban junctions will be constructed across England to build on the multi billion pound measures.
The government is working to make travelling by bike a safer and more convenient option, by working with local councils to reduce lorry traffic and create a long-term cycling programme and budget.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“Local transport connections have a truly transformative role to play in levelling up infrastructure across the country.
“Our daily journeys for work or leisure are about so much more than just getting from A to B – they are the key to accessing skilled jobs and opportunities, boosting businesses and unlocking economic growth for towns, cities and regions across this country.
“That’s why improving connectivity by overhauling bus services and making cycling easier than ever is such an important step forward, to make sure every community has the foundations it needs to thrive.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“We want everyone across this country to have the transport services they need to improve their lives and opportunities – to do that, we must invest in the here and now.”
“Through today’s buses funding we’ll be bringing about a transformation in bus services to every community, speeding up journeys and capping fares to make high-quality services the norm.
“Our long-term commitment to cycling could not be clearer, with money for new routes, more cyclist support and new ‘Mini-Holland’ schemes, set to make our streets the safest they have been for cyclists.”