Council awarded £7m to improve bus services

The grant was awarded to the council from a government fund

A council has been given nearly £7m of government funding to invest in bus services over the next two years.

Wiltshire Council received the grant from the Department of Transport as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to improve services in the county in 2025 and 2026.

Planned upgrades include extending the hours and increasing the frequency of some services.

Councillor Tamara Reay, cabinet member for transport, said the funding will also allow help the council improve the "bus passenger experience" for Wiltshire residents.

Ms Reay said the council is investing "significantly" in bus services across the county

She added: "With this funding we can now build on the proposals outlined in our Bus Service Improvement Plan to provide more enhanced bus services across the county, as well as other investments to help improve the bus passenger experience.

“Most Wiltshire buses are £2 or less for a single journey, and although this will rise to a maximum single fare of £3 in January, it still represents great value to travel to work, to explore our beautiful county, or as an alternative to taking the car."

The council said it is investing "significantly" in bus services across the county and is "always looking at innovative ways to deliver the right services that benefit the most people".