Passengers have placed Cheshire East Council in the top 10 of UK local authorities for how satisfied they are with their bus services.
The survey by the independent public transport watchdog “Transport Focus” found user satisfaction in the borough’s services was 88% – a 5% increase on last year’s results.
Cheshire East residents should also see these services improve after a £5m Department for Transport Local Bus Grant was approved at a meeting of the council’s highways and transport committee.
The funding will support the council’s latest Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).
Cllr Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said: “I am delighted to see the results of this survey, which indicates that we are definitely on the right track with our buses.
“But there is much more we can do, especially in encouraging car owners to switch to using buses.
“We can do that by providing attractive, reliable and convenient connections.
“We are therefore also investing in upgrading bus stops on key routes, as well as introducing new digital displays at key locations that show the real time of the next bus.
“These will help people realise that the bus can be a great alternative to using their car. It will lead to fewer car trips and reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and our carbon emissions.
“All this is contained in our new Bus Service Improvement Plan, which is the blueprint for our bus services.
“Buses though are the unsung hero of public transport. Every year, UK buses carry twice as many passengers as trains.
“However, buses only get a fraction of the funding government invests in the railways.
“So, if we are to encourage more people out of their cars, then spending more money on buses will be the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to do it. This survey shows that when we get government money, we spend it wisely.”
Councillor Lata Anderson, Cheshire East Council member champion for buses, said: “I’ve always been very pleased with the service every time I use the buses and find the drivers extremely friendly and helpful.
“The confirmation we received yesterday, that as a result of this DfT grant funding we can continue with the excellent work that led to the positive survey result, is great news for all concerned.”
As a bus user, since Stagecoach took over the No.84 Chester-Crewe service from Arriva, the service has been so much better and drivers more pleasant. The only drawback is the hourly, only bus service, this needs to be improved for users coming from Nantwich-Chester-Nantwich. Also, consideration should be given, when road closures are planned, that some people on the A51 are left without any bus service at those times and people who do not drive are left stranded.
Did they only “survey” councillors Goldsmith and Anderson? Bus services to and from Nantwich (with the exception of buses to Crewe) have been reduced to virtually nothing in recent years. I would love to use buses more often but there are no services!
Can’t wait to hear how this will be spun into a negative. I’m sure there is a way this will be spun into a Labour hate story.
No doubt if Reform were in power we’d have private jets and not buses.