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Millions more will be spent to improve services for bus passengers in Norfolk after the county council was handed a £16m boost. County Hall officers say the money will mean more rural buses, increased evening services and up to 100 new bus shelters. An extra £16m has been made available to support Norfolk County Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan (Image: Denise Bradley) By combining the new government cash with money yet to be spent through other funding streams, it means £34m is available for the Conservative council's Bus Service Improvement Plan .
That plan also includes proposed new travel hubs, linking up bus stops, cycle and walking routes, at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Sheringham, Hunstanton, Diss and King's Lynn. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (Image: Mike Page) A Norfolk County Council spokeswoman said: "Since 2021 we’ve delivered a huge number of bus service improvements across the county which has seen passenger numbers increase and surpass pre pandemic levels as well as passenger satisfaction with services improving. “This £34m to spend will allow us to continue with the improvements across the county.
"We hope to enhance more services to help fill the rural gaps and provide people with more evening services. "We’ll improve even more waiting areas and look to open seven more travel hubs like the one delivered in North Walsham and even more gold stops." Gold stops include new bus shelters, better lighting and real time bus departure screens.
The county council says rural bus services will be boosted (Image: Antony Kelly) The council has already confirmed it will use some of the money to retain the £1.50 single journey cap in Thetford, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth until at least the end of this year . The council spokeswoman added: "We’ll be focussing on our more rural areas with up to 100 new bus shelters in towns and villages and improving footway links to accessible boarding points "We’ll also complete the larger infrastructure improvements that have already been designed and consulted on, for example the bus lane from Harford Park and Ride site and the improvements at Market Gates bus interchange in Great Yarmouth.
" READ MORE: Reform call as Norfolk spends £8m on free bus travel Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure (Image: Sonya Duncan) The decision to approve the spending was taken by Graham Plant, the council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure..
