Bus Back Better / BSIP / Enhanced Partnerships schedule

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Freeths

The Department for Transport announced, earlier this month, a change in its position over the timetable that local transport authorities have been working to in creating a new form of partnerships with bus operators providing passenger services in their area.

All authorities with transport functions across the country (with the exception of franchise pursuing Greater Manchester) had been tasked to have their partnerships in place by 1 April for fear of losing critically required funding and missing out on new funding opportunities. Now they have the opportunity to wait and see ...

Yep, everyone has been working to a very tight timescale set by the government and invested a lot in getting it done quickly ... and they have now moved the goalposts!!

[ChrisB]

The Observer paper yesterday said that the funds available have reduced to £1.4million

[grahame]

The Observer paper yesterday said that the funds available have reduced to £1.4million

I don' t thinks it's that bad, Chris.  £1.4 billion, I suspect. Versus bids totalling around £7 billion. All that has been said about the allocation is that "no-one will leave empty handed"

[grahame]

The Observer paper yesterday said that the funds available have reduced to £1.4million

I don' t thinks it's that bad, Chris.  £1.4 billion, I suspect. Versus bids totalling around £7 billion. All that has been said about the allocation is that "no-one will leave empty handed"

Part of the view from Crewe at Zelo Street

The paper has more. “Figures compiled by the shadow buses minister Sam Tarry’s office show the amount of funding bids submitted by 53 out of 79 local transport authorities from the extra funding pot is already more than £7bn. This suggests the total is likely to exceed £9bn, against a total available of £1.4bn”. Slow handclap for another broken promise.

Many parts of the country are worse off than towns like Crewe: they no longer have any bus service at all. The modern adage holds true: for those not within walking distance of a railway station, you have to run a car or call a cab. Or you’re screwed. Bozo talks the talk, and then comes grim everyday reality. Something else you won’t read in the papers.