Isle of Wight council is among 15 local authorities in the South East who will receive their second £17.2 million allocation of the Bus Service Improvement Plan+ (BSIP+) for 2024-25.
The funding equates to £290,025 for the Island.
Local authorities can use the new BSIP+ allocations in several ways to improve bus services for all residents in the South East.
Last week it was announced that routes 6 and 12 would be extending their services into the evening to improve connections for rural residents.
Jordan: Many benefits to bus travel
Councillor Phil Jordan, council leader and Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said,
“The £500,000 funding is excellent news for the whole of the Island — and bus passengers in particular.
“There are many benefits to bus travel, including reducing congestion, contributing to better air quality and decarbonisation, and we are working hard to ensure we maximise the funding we have been allocated and take full advantage of all of the benefits that can be delivered.”
Tyldsley: Worked hard to secure government funding support
Richard Tyldsley, general manager at Southern Vectis, said,
“Together with Isle of Wight council, our team has worked hard to secure government funding support, which will help to make sustainable travel an even more attractive option across the Isle of Wight.
“Just one double decker bus has the potential to take up to 75 cars off our roads, so we strongly believe buses are the perfect solution for reducing congestion and improving air quality across the Island. The Bus Service Improvement Plan will play a significant role in achieving this.”
The fare cap
To help people with cost of living pressures and save on everyday travel costs, the government has also invested £200 million to extend the bus fare cap, with single bus tickets capped at £2 outside London until the end of October 2023.
Many areas will then have the fares capped at £2.50 until 30th November 2024.
The £2.50 fare cap from November 2023 to November 2024 for the Isle of Wight has not been confirmed yet. We’ll update once we hear more.
Barrett: We hope that this is just the start of ongoing investment
Silviya Barrett, from Campaign for Better Transport, said,
“We’re pleased the £2 bus fare cap we campaigned for has been a success, reducing fares and boosting passenger numbers.
“The additional funds for local authorities are also welcome and we hope that this is just the start of ongoing investment in bus networks across the country.”
Most popular form of public transport
Roads Minister Richard Holden said,
“Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and so many residents in the South East rely on their local service to get to work, attend medical appointments, and see loved ones.
“We are delivering for local communities across fifteen local authorities by providing a further £17.2 million to improve and protect essential local services, as we continue to boost transport connections in the South East to grow the economy.”
Funding from 2022 through to 2025
The new BSIP+ funding for the South East is part of a wider £160 million investment to improve bus services across England from 2022 through to 2025.
It comes on top of a further £140 million announced in May from the extension of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), taking the total to continue supporting and protecting bus services across England to £300 million into 2025.
Article edit
10.25am 3rd Oct 2023 – PJ and RT comments added
