Bus services 'set to benefit from new funding'

Date: 26/3/2010

Bus services in a number of areas across England may benefit as a result of new funding announced this week by transport minister Sadiq Khan.

Confirming the second round of Kickstart grants, the minister said that residents in 31 parts of the country should benefit from the new funding, which totals some £15 million.

"Local bus services are the backbone of our transport system and can provide a vital lifeline for communities," he said.

Mr Khan added that, however, some bus services that may offer useful transport links may not seem commercially attractive. The Kickstart scheme is designed to tackle this problem, funding new bus routes, allowing local people to access a range of different services.

The project targets schemes that have long-term potential for success, but that may not be instantly commercial, the Department for Transport said. Kickstart funding is there to give them help to get off the ground.

Other projects that are due to receive funding are designed to increase the use of buses, thereby helping to reduce congestion.

The first round of funding from the Kickstart scheme was released in 2005.