Some subsidised bus routes which were recently axed in the wider Bristol region could soon be restored after a government U-turn on funding rules. The decision means passengers living in cut-off areas may once again be able to catch a bus, after many were left stranded.
The Department for Transport has given the West of England Combined Authority millions of pounds to spend on improving bus services in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, as well as North Somerset. But this cash comes with strict rules.
Previously money in the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) could only be spent on “new and innovative” policies to help fix the region’s ailing public transport network. This includes new services like the West Link minibuses, but not supporting normal routes with timetables.
