Conservative-run Wealden and East Sussex are among thirty-one areas across the country chosen to receive new funding to level up their local bus services through the Government’s £1.2 billion bus transformation programme announced this week.
The new funding of over £41 million for East Sussex, announced today, is part of a £7 billion package intended to help level up transport outside of London – delivering lower, simpler fares to help tackle cost-of-living pressures
The money has been welcomed by Wealden's MP, Nus Ghani who said: "This investment will help connect communities in East Sussex and deliver better, more reliable and more frequent bus services across our area."
Including earlier awards, just under two-thirds of England's population outside London will benefit from new investment to make their buses more frequent, more reliable, easier to understand and use, cheaper, or greener. Improvements will also include integrated ticketing and more bus lanes to speed up journeys.
Other areas which are willing to show similar levels of ambition will continue to be eligible for funding. In the meantime, a further £150 million is being provided across England to maintain service levels as patronage continues to recover after the pandemic.
The announcement of this transformational funding comes on top of the confirmation that £5.7 billion will be delivered across England’s eight city regions through the City Regional Transport Settlements – giving mayors and their communities long-term certainty to deliver transformational improvements to local transport networks including upgrades to local tram, bus, cycling & walking and rail networks.
Bus networks form the spine of local transport networks – but for decades too many communities have been let down by poor bus infrastructure. Now, passengers across East Sussex are set to get a better deal, with local transport network they can truly rely on.
Commenting, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Buses are the most popular way of getting around in this country – but for too long people outside of London have had a raw deal.
“The investment we’re making today to ramp up the bus revolution will drive down fares at a time when people’s finances are tight and help connect communities across England.”
