Fears £98 million ‘better buses’ bid for Nottinghamshire in jeopardy after funding cuts

Leading opposition councillor Tom Hollis (Ash Ind) has written to Coun Neil Clarke (Con), chairman of the council’s transport and environment committee, to get confirmation that the money will still be available after news that the Government has reduced its national ‘Better Buses’ fund by more than half.

The Government recently wrote to transport leaders across the country stating that its £3 billion fund, set to bring bus services up to ‘London standards’, had been reduced to £1.4 billion.

In November, a £98 million bid was put forward to Government to make the most of the fund, including proposals to improve bus services, simplify fares and tickets, install more real-time displays and improve accessibility at bus stops in Nottinghamshire.

Coun Hollis, the Independent Alliance spokesperson for transport and environment at County Hall and deputy leader of Ashfield District Council, said: “The Independent Alliance was pleased to support the £98 million bid to improve bus services in our county.

“Poor bus services are the leading cause of isolation, add to poor social mobility and impact the elderly across our county.

“News from the Government that they have axed more than half of the funding is terrible news for our bid.

“It could leave it in tatters as councils are forced to fight for less money.

"This is yet another broken promise and it makes a mockery of any sort of levelling up.”

In his letter, Coun Hollis added: “The poor bus service across the Ashfield district and across Nottinghamshire – not least in more rural areas is a huge concern for residents – especially for our elderly residents and leads to isolation and poor social mobility.

“The issue of poor buses is also shared by residents in rural villages like Collingham and Winthorpe who have seen their service reduced from one every half hour to an hourly service.

“I would be grateful if you could confirm whether Nottinghamshire County Council will be revising the bid for better buses in the light of the significant reduction in the funding pot which flies in the face of the Government’s levelling up agenda.”