£27m funding boost to further improve bus services across Lancashire

Highways and Transport

Lancashire has been awarded £27 million to fund further improvements to bus services across the county.

The money is part of £1 billion package from the government announced on Sunday to improve and protect crucial bus services across the country.

From the total figure awarded to Lancashire, £25.2m will be used to deliver further improvements and support current enhancements through the county council's bus service improvement plan (BSIP).

Working in partnership with local bus operators, BSIP funding allows us to make services more frequent, reliable and affordable, with better information for passengers and simpler fares which are easier to understand.

The new funding means that in total, Lancashire County Council has secured £67.1m in BSIP funding since 2022.

The latest figures show that 21 million bus journeys in Lancashire were taken in the first half of 2024/25, a 10% increase compared to same period the 2023/24.

In May, the BSIP-funded £1 Sunday Adult Single fare launched in Lancashire, which is an expansion of the current £1 Evening Fare. More than 2.6m £1 evening tickets have been purchased since January 2023 and more than 780,000 £1 Sunday tickets have been sold.

Cllr Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, 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."

A number of improvements have already been delivered as part of our BSIP:

• Reduced fare offers
• Enhanced bus services
• Completed BSIP bus infrastructure
• Other spending

BSIP funding is delivering:

• Three new bus routes
• 21 daytime bus service enhancements
• 26 evening and Sunday bus service enhancements
• Over 30 highways schemes
• Bus stop upgrades including new shelters and raised curbs on key interurban corridors
• Single operator Tap-on Tap-off Contactless Capping
• AnyBus multi-operator ticketing for the Fylde Coast area
• All operator bus network maps
• £1 Evening and Sunday single fare