Bedford Borough Council is set to receive a £2.3 million share of the government’s bus services funding scheme, but won’t announce how the funding could be used to benefit Bedford’s bus users until it has received formal notification.
Nationally, the government has earmarked £955 million to support bus services until 2026, and £243 million for bus operators to keep fares “lower and services more frequent” than they would otherwise be.
Every region in England will benefit from the funding, with Bedford allocated nearly £2.3 million.
This is broken down into £1,418,902 for bus service improvement plans (BSIPs) capital funding 25/26, £63,000 for BSIP capacity and capability allocation 25/26, and £817,063 for BSIP revenue funding 25/26.
The government says this funding settlement would allow many more urban areas to maintain their “high levels of service” while other areas could offer more services.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: ”Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken. Too often, passengers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some have been cut off altogether.
“This is part of our wider plan to put passengers first and give every community the power to take back control of their bus services through franchising or public ownership.
“By delivering better buses, we’ll ensure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities – powering economic growth in every corner of the country.”
Bedford Borough Council was asked how it was going to use this funding.
A council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of this announcement through the Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO).
“We are currently awaiting official confirmation of this allocation from the Department for Transport (DfT).
“Once we have received the formal notification, including the specific terms and conditions, we will be able to provide more detailed information on how this funding might be considered to benefit our local community.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
