This article was published on August 5, 2021 and information contained within may now be out of date.
Lincolnshire County Council is putting together a plan to help improve bus services in the county and is keen to hear local residents’ thoughts.
In March this year, the government published its’ National Bus Strategy to help the country to ‘Bus Back Better’ after the pandemic, with more frequent services and increased passenger numbers through simpler timetabling and fares. Lincolnshire County Council is putting its plan together to encourage more public transport use and to meet these national requirements.
The County Council is looking for the public’s views about their experiences using public transport, and whether this has changed due to the pandemic, as well as what would make you use the buses more.
Local suggestions we have heard mentioned in the past, but have never been remedied by the Council include items such as the frequency of buses, buses turning up on time, and services to some locations running beyond 5 pm may also be useful.
The government has pledged £3bn in funding across the country to help deliver these plans, and the Council wants to secure a fair share of that funding for Lincolnshire by putting together a comprehensive plan.
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for transport at Lincolnshire County Council, said:
“During the pandemic, we saw passenger numbers plummet, and even as restrictions have eased, numbers have been slow to recover. We’ve provided a lot of support to operators over the past 18 months, and now, rather than just looking at a recovery plan for the sector, we’re keen to see this as an opportunity to improve services in the county.
“In the government’s strategy, they cite London’s bus network as their shining example. Whilst there are lessons we can learn from the way services operate in the capital, Lincolnshire is not London. We have our own unique challenges when it comes to buses, especially in rural areas, which is why we want to hear from residents about their experiences and thoughts.”
You can complete the Bus Service Improvement Plan survey at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/engagement. If you’d like a paper copy of the survey to complete, please call the Council’s Transport Helpline on 0345 456 4474 and one can be posted to you. Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 4 pm.
The survey will close on Monday 30 August 2021.
