Bus services in York and neighbouring areas are set to benefit from cash which would have been spent on the now scrapped northern phase of HS2.

The government has announced an allocation of £6.599 million locally out of a total £31 million funding increase for the North.

The ‘get around for £2’ support scheme for passengers, which was launched on January 1 for three months, will also be extended. The single-fare discount scheme will now run to December 31, 2024. 

The bus improvement funding is confirmed for the next financial year and is the first tranche of a £1 billion investment as part of the government’s Network North Plan.

The government confirmed it is up to local authorities and bus operators to decide how best to use the funding and said more allocations will be announced in due course.

Local authority allocations

  • City of York Council - £1,153,000
  • East Riding of Yorkshire Council - £1,946,000
  • North Yorkshire Council - £3,500,000

The government said following the establishment of the new York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, future funding will be allocated to the combined authority.

Ben Gilligan, managing director of East Yorkshire Buses, said: “We welcome the government’s ongoing investment for the bus industry in addition to funding already allocated earlier this year.

“This funding is already being used to good effect – expanding services that support Yorkshire’s night-time and weekend economy.

“Communities rely on buses and with the £2 fare cap being extended this will encourage more people to switch from cars to use public transport.”

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Yorkshire and Humberside’s community services for older people and vulnerable passengers will also receive a 60 per cent funding boost.

The funding increase, made through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), will help keep fares down and has been hailed by charities and vulnerable passengers who have difficulty using regular buses and rely on community services to get around and combat loneliness.