County's bus service to get £1.1m improvements

A county's bus service is to receive £1.1m for improvements, a council has confirmed.

Herefordshire County Council said it is committed to upgrading the service over the next financial year following funding from the government's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

The largest share - £650,000 - has been designated to refurbish main bus stops in the county's market towns.

A local authority spokesperson said the improvements "will enhance the experience of bus travel for all users, as well as encouraging greater patronage across the network".

They added that "there is not the time nor the resources to reinvigorate every bus stop in the county".

But they said the council was "confident" of being able to improve all market town bus interchanges over the next two years thanks to further expected funding.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has said in the current plan, a further £150,000 will go on "real-time information" screens at stops and the same sum on route planning and management software.

And a review of adjusting traffic lights to give priority to buses will get £80,000, while the remaining £50,000 is to go on "specialist consultancy services".

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