Supporting the improvement of local public transport, particularly bus services across the constituency is one of my key priorities. Affordable, accessible, and efficient public transport for our communities ensures we can all stay connected and access vital local services. Given most of us rely on our cars to travel around, it is important we continue to talk about what public transport should look like in a rural constituency like ours.
This month, after corresponding with Essex County Council about the problems facing local bus networks, I wrote to the Department for Transport asking for clarification regarding the future of central Government funding for our local bus services.
With around 80% of routes in Essex not at a break-even position post-pandemic, the council was concerned about the impact any change in funding might have on services. In Uttlesford, supported services account for 80% of the network. Whilst I was pleased to welcome the Government’s swift action to protect our local bus services by committing to provide up to £80 million to extend the Bus Recovery Grant, it is right to reflect on how sustainable heavily subsiding the service is and the challenges the sector faces.
Many residents rely on local bus services to live, work and travel, to lose them would be detrimental. But if more of us don’t use them, we will lose them, so I am keen to work with Essex County Council to find innovative solutions to get more residents using local bus services and tailoring current services to better meet the needs of those that use them already.
You will often see me championing a local on-demand service DigiGo that currently covers the Southwest of the constituency, Dunmow down to Chelmsford. It is a fully electric shared public transport service that was funded as part of a government scheme and has been warmly welcomed by local residents, some of whom have used it in replacement of their cars! If you haven’t heard about it and might be interested in testing it, visit: www.essexhighways.org/getting-around/ddrtdigigo/digigo
The DigiGo service is an example of an innovative solution to a complex challenge and behavioural shift. It offers a reliable and efficient service, that is also flexible and easily accessible.
The Essex Bus Strategy Improvement Plan seeks to improve bus services across the county and the council has published a number of consultations and surveys to get your feedback, most recently a survey to better understand public opinion of the bus services in Essex, and how we can improve them to encourage more people to use buses, to respond visit: https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/h-t/227e08fb/consultation/intro/
I will be following up with the council to hear more about the responses to the survey and how we can continue to support and improve bus services here in the Saffron Walden constituency. If you have any suggestions or feedback, do email me at [email protected]
