Council asks for views on bus services in the borough

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working closely with bus operators to develop an ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) for the borough, aimed at encouraging more people to travel by bus.

The Government has earmarked £3 billion towards improving bus services throughout England. The BSIP will set out the Council’s ambitions for bus service improvements and help secure a proportion of the funding to benefit people living, working and travelling in Cheshire West and Chester.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “We need residents’ views to help us develop the Plan.

“We want to find out what improvements are needed for local bus services and what would make you use local buses more. We’d like to hear from you whether you travel by bus or not.

“Good bus services help tackle congestion in towns and stop rural communities being cut off.  They’re vital in tackling social exclusion and loneliness and zero emission buses can help cut air pollution and reduce carbon emissions.

“We’re working with all the bus companies in Cheshire West and Chester on an improvement plan and need to know what broad changes to the way bus services operate would encourage people to use them more often.

“We can then use this information to make a bid for Government funding to make the changes happen.

“Please take part in our online questionnaire and let us have your views so that together with our bus companies we can improve services in the borough.”

The Council would like to hear from everybody with a view on buses including public, private and voluntary organisations who have an interest in making bus services more attractive.

The Council will develop the BSIP by 31 October 2021.  The BSIP will also form part of an Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the Council and the bus operators in the delivery of an improved bus network across the borough.

The Enhanced Partnership will include a clear vison and plan for the improvements the Council and operators are aiming for together with the actions required to achieve a more attractive bus network for the future.

The survey is available on-line.

The closing date is Tuesday 31 August 2021.

If you do not have access to an online facility, paper copies of the survey will be available upon request by calling the Customer Service Helpline on 01244 973353.

If you need help to complete the survey, or have any questions, please email:

transportstrategy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

https://inside.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/get_involved/consultations/national_bus_strategy_engagement_survey