Cabinet agrees new Public Transport Strategy

Tuesday, 6 February 2024 00:00

Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet has endorsed a new Public Transport Strategy that will help to shape the county’s bus services up to 2038.

The strategy, shaped following a public consultation on what people would like to see from their bus services, sets out policies that aim to improve public transport in Wiltshire, in line with the council’s Business Plan priorities.

There are 13 policies in total, which look at all aspects of bus services, such as encouraging more people to use public transport, working closely with bus operators, and using new technologies and services to deliver the transport people need.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This Public Transport Strategy is an important step forward for bus services in Wiltshire, as it sets out policies that will deliver the transport that our communities want into the future.

“I’d like to thank all of the 1,565 people who took the time out to take part in our survey, which has helped to shape this strategy.

“Since the pandemic, the use of buses has changed considerably, with fewer people commuting during the week and more people using buses for leisure, particularly at the weekends. This new strategy reflects this change in bus usage and our commitment to increasing bus passenger numbers by updating and adapting our bus networkthrough services such as our hugely successful Wiltshire Connect on-demand buses in the Pewsey Vale area.

“We will continue to meet our transport statutory duties while also delivering value for money public transport services for our residents. We are also focussed on meeting the objectives of our Bus Service Improvement Plan and our Business Plan priorities to have a thriving economy, resilient communities and sustainable environment.

“The Public Transport Strategy will now form the basis of our future bus services, as we look to reevaluate the Wiltshire bus network into 2024/25, in full consultation with our communities.”

The council is working on a revised Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which will be submitted to the Department for Transport in the summer. Once approved, the BSIP will secure future government funding for buses in Wiltshire.

To read more about the Public Transport Strategy, including the full results of the survey, people should go to: https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=14824