Buses are about more than transport – they are about opportunity
When I became Mayor of the East Midlands, I said I wanted to focus on the everyday things that make a real difference to people’s lives, writes Mayor Claire Ward. Buses are one of those things.
For many people, a good bus service is not a “nice to have”. It is how they get to work, college, the shops, a hospital appointment or to see family and friends. For those without access to a car, it can be the difference between feeling connected and feeling cut off.
That is why I have made affordable bus travel a priority. When the Government introduced free bus travel for younger children this summer, I wanted to make sure older teenagers were not left out. By funding free travel for 16-18-year-olds across the region, we are helping families keep more money in their pockets at a time when household budgets are stretched.
For a young person, that free journey on our region’s buses might mean getting to a summer job, meeting friends, going to college, taking part in sport, or simply having the freedom to get out and about. For parents and carers, it is one less cost to worry about.
Making travel on buses more affordable
It sits alongside wider work to make bus travel more affordable, including the Government’s newly announced £2 cap on single fares, so more people can get to work, education, healthcare and leisure without the cost becoming a barrier.
Good transport should also help people enjoy the places that make our region special. That is why I was pleased to increase EMCCA funding for the Clumber Park shuttle during the school holidays, making it easier and cheaper for people to travel from Worksop to one of Nottinghamshire’s best-loved places.
That is the kind of joined-up public transport we need more of: simple, practical connections that help people make the most of where they live without always needing a car.
But we cannot only value buses when a route is at risk. Sometimes protecting services means acting quickly when communities could be cut off. That is why I worked with Leicestershire County Council and Diamond Bus to save the 9 and 19 services in South Derbyshire. The Airway 9 connects people with East Midlands Airport and the East Midlands Enterprise Gateway, while the 19 serves villages that could otherwise have lost their direct bus link.
That is what being Mayor should be about: taking practical action on the bread-and-butter issues that affect people every day.
The closure of bus operator CT4N is a serious reminder of how fragile parts of the bus network can be. I know this is a difficult time for its workforce and for passengers who depend on those services. We are working with partners and operators to find replacement arrangements wherever possible and keep disruption to a minimum.
There will always be challenges, but I believe we can build a better, more reliable bus network if we work together – operators, councils, Government and communities.
Because when buses work well, our whole region works better. They give people choice, keep communities connected and open up opportunities. I want the East Midlands to be a place where everyone can get where they need to go – affordably, reliably and sustainably.