Funding support for zero emission buses across Devon and improvements to bus travel in Newton Abbot and Barnstaple have been approved by Devon County Council.
The Council’s Cabinet today backed the proposals which will be funded using a share of the £10.3 million Bus Service Improvement Plan funding Devon received from the Department for Transport for this financial year.
Bus operators will be supported to deliver zero emission bus projects and decarbonise their fleet with an allocation of £1.4 million. These projects will be in addition to those being delivered by the DfT’s ZEBRA2 fund, which will see 51 electric buses taking to the roads in Exeter and North Devon over the next six months.
To enhance the integration of buses and trains at Barnstaple Rail Station, £850,000 will be invested in a series of measures.
- Bus stops will be reconfigured to increase capacity and remove the need for some buses to use the roundabout near Tesco.
- A new mini-roundabout will be developed at the junction with Station Road, giving traffic, including buses, travelling from the town centre priority over traffic coming from Tesco.
- The station forecourt will be expanded to accommodate improved bus stop facilities including shelters, real time information screens and cycle parking.
- Pedestrian and cycle crossings will be provided adjacent to the station entrance, making it easier and safer for people to access the station and bus stops.
The Sherborne Road Bus Interchange in Newton Abbot will also undergo £548,000 of improvements, upgrading existing junctions and crossings in the town centre to support bus priority and reduce bus journey times. Bus shelters will be replaced, lighting upgraded and electronic real time passenger information displays will also be installed.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said:
“All of these investments are designed with the aim of improving the passenger experience and reducing carbon emissions. Our Bus Service Improvement Plan sets an ambitious target to modernise the fleet of buses in Devon so that there are no more diesel buses operating in the county by 2035. This funding will help to support the delivery of more zero emission buses, while the other improvements will hopefully make bus travel a more attractive option. If these upgrades encourage people to switch from their car to buses for some journeys, then that can lead to even further carbon savings.”
For more information about Devon County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan please visit the Travel Devon webpages.