Trentbarton boss welcomes new £3bn national bus strategy

The boss of bus operator trentbarton has welcomed a new £3 billion National Bus Strategy recently announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The Government’s new plans include the roll-out of zero-emission buses, creating more bus lanes and other bus priority measures.

It also includes more evening and weekend services, simpler fares with daily fare caps, contactless payments and integrated ticketing across public transport modes.

Trentbarton is praised in the National Bus Strategy as an exemplar of an integrated service provider.

Managing director Jeff Counsell said: “The new strategy creates a once in a generation opportunity for us to continue working closely with local authorities and stakeholders to provide faster, more reliable journey times and transform services to provide even greater value for money for our customers.

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“Many of the measures being put in place nationally through this strategy are innovations we have already pioneered here in the East Midlands, including fare caps, contactless payment, 24/7 services, real-time information, and improved integration and connectivity.

“We have consistently invested not just in new technology, such as our mango app but also the onboard customer experience thanks to our investment in passenger audio visual ‘real time’ systems and our wonderful drivers who are consistently judged as the best in the business across the UK.

“But we are not content to rest on those laurels. The new national strategy provides the stimulus for us to kick on again.

“We will be looking to use the legislative support contained within the strategy to continue to improve our services for our customers while also making them even safer and greener in the months and years ahead.”

The Department for Transport wants local councils and bus operators, such as trentbarton, to work together to deliver more ‘turn up and go’ services on the main corridors.

Jeff said: “Again, this is an area where we have been leading the way through our cooperation with our councils, other bus operators and, in Nottingham, with the tram, plus with strategic transport partners such as East Midlands Airport.

“We will double down on these enhanced partnerships, encouraged by the National Bus Strategy to be increasingly ambitious in how such collaboration can benefit the public, reduce congestion, improve air quality and cut journey times.”