Warwickshire County Council has announced the branding “Warwickshire Buses” for its bus service improvement plans.
The Warwickshire Enhanced Bus Partnership, as it was known, was recently awarded £4.1 million by the government via its Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus programme for the 2024/25 financial year.
The Council says it will aim to grow bus patronage by integration of services, multi-bus operator tickets, multimodal tickets and tap-on/tap-off, bus priority measures, better passenger information, improved demand responsive transport, modal shift and financial support for services.
It cites a 74% improvement of use of Stratford Park and Ride Service over the summer months as a recent success.
Councillor Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways, says: “Warwickshire buses is fantastic news for our residents, businesses and the diverse range of bus operators that we have in the county.
“Bus passenger numbers have noticeably increased since the pandemic. However, there is work to do in further increasing bus patronage to prepandemic levels and beyond.
“Buses remain the most utilised public transport mode in the county and are a fantastic and viable option for travel across Warwickshire. Not only are they cost-effective – and even more so with the £2 single adult fare cap pilot, which has been extended to December 2024 – they are also much better for the environment, promote social inclusion and provide more health benefits compared to car travel.”
