Shropshire Council still waiting for decision on £98 million bus scheme

Shropshire Council submitted what it called an ambitious and innovative £98m Bus Service Improvement Programme (BSIP) bid to the Department for Transport in October.

However this week the Department for Transport said the Bus Service Improvement Plan development and Bus Centre of Excellence would provide £25m of funding to local authorities.

At the time the bid went in, it had political support from all the county's MPs, including Owen Paterson, who has since resigned and been replaced in a by-election.

Councillor Cecilia Motley, the council's cabinet member for communities, culture, leisure and tourism and transport, said: “We have regular update meetings with the Department for Transport, but they still cannot tell us when a decision will be made by government and on what basis, bearing in mind that the original pot of money available has been reduced.

"Despite this, Shropshire is still hopeful of being awarded funding plans as we believe we more than fulfil the DfT’s criteria.”

The news follows concerns expressed by the council's Liberal Democrat opposition that bus services could be at risk.

The bid was part of the touted Bus Back Better programme, with green buses, Sunday services, real time passenger information and more affordable fares all part of it.

Councillor Motley said: "The bid had the strong support of the current Shropshire MPs and the leader of the council.

“It aims to deliver a transformative bus service improvement programme including demand responsive solutions in rural areas, some of which have had no bus services for years.

"Our bid also includes a new environmentally improved fleet of vehicles and Park & Ride as well as training and infrastructure.

“If our bid is successful it will transform public transport in Shropshire, with particular support for our rural villages in providing services that help enhance quality of life, economic activity and access to employment and education.

“We worked very closely on this bid with the DfT, which encouraged us to be innovative and ambitious, which we certainly were."

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said they could not comment on individual bids from councils.

But a statement said the Government has committed to making a step change investment of over £3bn into bus services.

This includes £1.2bn in dedicated new funding to deliver improvements in fares, services and infrastructure, and a further £525m of new funding for zero emission buses.

The Bus Service Improvement Plan development and Bus Centre of Excellence would provide £25m of funding to local authorities.

There is also a £1.2bn new dedicated transformational funding for bus services and £525m for delivery of zero emission buses (including £355m new funding)

Around £600m (or more) is expected to be invested in buses through City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements and the Levelling Up Fund.