Grant boosts A11 corridor bus services
Bus passengers are set to benefit from more frequent and greener services following a �2m government investment into a project along the A11 corridor.The Department for Transport has announced that Norfolk County Council will receive the cash that will enhance services between Attleborough, Wymondham, and Norwich.
Bus passengers are set to benefit from more frequent and greener services following a �2m government investment into a project along the A11 corridor.
The Department for Transport has announced that Norfolk County Council will receive the cash that will enhance services between Attleborough, Wymondham, and Norwich.
The financial boost from the government's Kickstart scheme will help fund a service between Attleborough and the city every 20 minutes and a direct bus between Wymondham and Norwich every 10 minutes from Monday to Saturday.
Officials from the county council welcomed the investment, which will also pay for low carbon buses using dual fuel diesel/biogas technology.
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The A11 corridor project was one of four areas in the east of England to receive �15m from the Kickstart scheme, which had been rumoured for the axe under government funding cuts.
The �2m is almost �800,000 short of the sum asked for, which will mean that County Hall officials will shave some of the costs of the scheme. However, the project will still offer journey time savings and significant passenger growth on the routes.
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Adrian Gunson, cabinet member for planning and transportation at Norfolk County Council, said he was 'very pleased' with the news, which will not result in a reduction in services to the villages around the market towns.
'It is a significant grant to enable us to finance for three years a very frequent service from Attleborough and Wymondham to Norwich, the university, hospital and science park.'
'We have got a good part of what we asked for and we will have to cut our cloth accordingly. I think it is a very worthwhile project. The A11 corridor is a growth area and Attleborough and Wymondham are two of our larger market towns,' he said.
The Kickstart programme offers financial backing to help launch new or improved services, with the focus on getting more people on the buses as well as improving accessibility.
Transport minister Sadiq Khan said: 'Some bus services which could provide an important transport link might not always be commercially attractive from the outset. This will help fund new and improved bus routes, ensuring local people get the services they need.'
