Suffolk bus network in Bury St Edmunds, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Haverhill and Ipswich set for £3.6m improvements
Suffolk’s bus network is to see improvements over the next two years thanks to £3.6 million of Government funding.
Suffolk County Council has been awarded the money from the Department for Transport’s Bus Service Improvement Fund Phase Two to deliver improvements to public transport in Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Stowmarket, Lowestoft, Hadleigh, Halesworth, Saxmundham and Ipswich.
The first year’s £1.8 million funding will be spent in three ways as decided by Suffolk’s Enchanced Partnership, which represents the county council and bus operators.
Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council cabinet member for economic development, skills, transport strategy and waste, said: “Our focus for allocating Suffolk’s BSIP 2 fund was to look at how we could increase long-term patronage and revenues to stabilise the existing bus network, while also considering new ideas for services.
“I am pleased the successful new schemes will support residents not only in our urban centres but in communities spread across the county.”
Following an open call for suggestions, £1.2 million will be spent on new or enhanced bus services across the county. A full list can be viewed here.
Some of the most significant schemes include:
- Enhancements of the 84 and 753 services connecting Sudbury to Colchester and Bury
- Enhancements of the 521 service connecting Halesworth, Saxmundham and Aldeburgh
- A re-route of the 14/15 service from Haverhill to Bury to serve West Suffolk Hospital and to increase frequency
- Enhancements to the Buzzabout community transport service serving villages north of Lowestoft
- New services connecting villages between Stowmarket and Mendlesham and surrounding villages
- Development of a new demand-responsive transport service to connect Brett Valley villages with commercial services in Hadleigh and Lavenham
- New services from Bramford to Ipswich and Stowupland to Stowmarket
- Enhancements to the operation of the Beyton/Thurston/Elmswell/Woolpit taxibus
Commercial bus operators have been allocated £450,000 to support and stabilise the existing bus network in Suffolk.
A further £150,000 will be used to develop bus priority schemes for smoother and more convenient bus journeys.
Decisions on how any remaining funding will be spent will be reviewed with feedback from Suffolk County Council’s partners and communities.
