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

A Nottinghamshire councillor is seeking clarification that £98million funding will still go towards improving the county’s bus services.
Councillor Tom Hollis is seeking clarification that funding will still be pumped into improving bus services.Councillor Tom Hollis is seeking clarification that funding will still be pumped into improving bus services.
Councillor Tom Hollis is seeking clarification that funding will still be pumped into improving bus services.

Leading Nottinghamshire opposition councillor Tom Hollis has written to get confirmation from councillor Neil Clarke, chairman of the Transport and Environment Committee, that the money will still be available after 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 £3billion fund, set to bring bus services up to “London standards”, had been reduced to £1.4billion.

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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.

Councillor Hollis, Independent Alliance spokesperson for Transport and Environment at County and deputy leader of Ashfield District Council, said: “The Independent Alliance were pleased to support the £98million 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.

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“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, Councillor Hollis added: “The poor bus service across the Ashfield District and across Nottinghamshire – not least in places like Carsic, Skegby, Stanton Hill and more rural areas like Jacksdale, Linby, Skegby and Underwood 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 near Newark 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.”