The Conservative Government have invested a further £80 million to protect essential bus services and allow local authorities to make travel improvements in their communities.
The funding will support 64 local authorities, including Torbay Council with £403,923 of funding, building on the £80 million of Bus Services Improvement Plan+ (BSIP+) funding for 2022-23 and the £1 billion investment for bus services in 2022.
The Conservative Government have invested £3.5 billion in bus services since 2020, protecting and improving bus travel and helping people save money on public transport.
Kevin Foster MP has today (Thursday 28 September 2023) welcomed the announcement of £403,923 of additional Government funding to support bus services across Torbay.
Today’s funding means people across our bay have benefitted from a total of £807,846 funding from the Conservative Government to support bus services since 2022.
The investment comes from the £80 million Bus Services Improvement Plan 2024-25 fund, of which there have been three rounds – building on the £80 million invested in 2023-24 and £1 billion invested in 2022. 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.
To help people with the cost of living and save on everyday travel costs, the Conservative Government have 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 and then at £2.50 until 30 November 2024.
The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, with the average fare dropping by 10.8 per cent in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England.
The measures take total Conservative Government support to protect and improve bus services while keeping fares low to £3.5 billion since 2020.
Commenting, Kevin Foster MP said: “It’s good to hear of another £403,923 of funding being provided to support the bus services many in our bay rely upon to get to work or to see family and friends.”
“I look forward to hearing how it will be used by Torbay Council to support local communities where there is a need for a regular or improved bus service, such as in Fowey Avenue where I have been supporting a campaign by local residents and Cllr Katya Maddison for the reinstatement of bus services.”
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