Lancashire bus services to improve with new Govt funding

The money was announced on Sunday and Lancashire has been awarded £35m to improve and protect crucial services across the county.

Lancashire County Council will receive over £25m of this whilst Blackburn with Darwen will receive just over £5m.

Cllr Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for growth and development, said: “We welcome the £5m investment from the government and their commitment to improving public transport across Blackburn and Darwen.

Bus travel is by far the most popular form of public transport in the UK and with this injection of cash we will be able to make improvements across the network which will benefit our residents and visitors who use these vital public services.”

Blackpool completes the funding and is in line for almost £4.2m.

It will be used to deliver further improvements and support current enhancements through the county council’s bus service improvement plan, and Blackburn with Darwen Council's plans for buses.

Working in partnership with local bus operators, the funding will allow for services to be more frequent, reliable and affordable, with more information for passengers and simpler fares.

This funding boost means that the council has secured £67.1m since 2022.

Three new bus routes, 21 daytime bus service enhancements, 26 evening and Sunday bus service enhancements, more than 30 highway schemes, bus stop upgrades including new shelters and bus network maps will all be introduced with the new funding. 

Matthew Moll, Lancashire’s enhanced bus partnership manager said the ambition if more funding was to arrive would be to have “at least a two-hourly service” on existing rural routes and also to explore the possibility of filling “gaps in the network”.

Cllr Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for highways and transport at Lancashire County Council, said: “Our bus service improvement plan is already making a huge difference, and this additional funding will enable us to further enhance bus services across the county.

"We understand how important it is for all residents to have access to frequent, reliable and affordable transport that they can rely on for travel to work, access to healthcare and days out.

"We'll be working closely with local communities and stakeholders as we develop plans to ensure that the improvements reflect the needs of residents.

"We're optimistic about the future of bus travel and excited about the opportunities we now have to create a more connected and sustainable future for public transport in Lancashire."

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for growth and development, added: “We welcome the £5m investment from the government and their commitment to improving public transport across Blackburn and Darwen.

"Bus travel is by far the most popular form of public transport in the UK and with this injection of cash we will be able to make improvements across the network which will benefit our residents and visitors who use these vital public services.”

More than 21 million bus journeys were taken in Lancashire in the first half of 2024/25, a 10 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023/24.

In May, the bus service improvement plan funded a £1 Sunday adult single fare as an expansion of the £1 evening fare.

Since then more than 2.6 million £1 evening tickets have been purchased and more than 780,000 Sunday tickets sold.

The Government's investment will run until 2026, with £712m going towards local authorities and a further £243 going to bus operators to keep fares lower and services more frequent.

Every region in England is set to benefit, with particular focus on those which have been historically underserved.

It is hoped to enhance popular routes, protect rural services, increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting, prevent reductions to at-risk routes and improve punctuality across England.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken.

"Too often, passengers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some have been cut off altogether. 

“That’s why we’re reforming funding to deliver better buses across the country and end the postcode lottery of bus services. 

“And it’s why we’re providing over £1bn of funding to keep fares down, protect local routes and deliver more reliable services. 

“This is part of our wider plan to put passengers first and give every community the power to take back control of their bus services through franchising or public ownership.

“By delivering better buses, we’ll ensure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities – powering economic growth in every corner of the country.”

Buses remain the most relied-on form of public transport and The Buses Bill, which is set to be introduced in the coming weeks, will give local leaders across England greater control over delivering bus services.

Local authorities will be empowered to deliver modern and integrated bus networks which are focused on passengers.

Alison Edwards, director of policy and external relations at the Confederation of Passenger Transport, added: “Buses are vital to economic growth – they carry 10 million passengers a day.

"This funding is a valuable investment in journeys that help people to earn, learn and spend in local communities.

“It is encouraging to see that the funding will be shared across every English region.

"Bus operators look forward to working with local authorities on plans to speed up services, improve coordination and enhance frequencies.

“Bus passengers deserve a fair funding deal. Every pound of public money invested in buses delivers a return of more than £4 in benefits to the environment, to public health and to communities.”