The Government has announced the 37 councils to be awarded £7.6m of funding to deliver integrated transport in rural and isolated areas.
Winners of the Total Transport Pilot include Northamptonshire CC, which was awarded the largest sum of £750,000 to launch studies and pilots into joined up services across outlying areas.
A total of 42 local authorities submitted bids for the Department for Transport (DfT) fund following its launch on 14 January.
Transport minister, Patrick McLoughlin, today confirmed Surrey CC would receive £490,000, Cambridgeshire CC £460,000, Cheshire East BC £453,144 and Lincolnshire £400,000.
Gloucestershire CC was awarded £350,000 and Somerset CC £305,000, while Devon, Nottinghamshire and Norfolk were all given £300,000
Mr McLoughlin claimed the money dedicated to the schemes would provide a more stable source of funding from a single source for transport improvements in comparison to what is currently available.
While around £2bn is currently provided every year through numerous agencies for local transport, the Government claimed this sum often went uncoordinated and resulted in duplication of services.
Mr McLoughlin said: ‘Good transport is the lifeblood of local communities and we must ensure every penny spent is being used effectively. This is about improving access to the services people rely on most, from getting to school, to the shops or the local hospital.’
Chief secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, added: ‘As someone from a rural area, I know the vital importance of well-functioning public transport in helping people get around their local community, whether to do business, go to school or meet friends and family.
He said the funding would see councils working ‘with schools, hospitals and other local organisations to deliver local services more efficiently, meaning that they will be able offer people across the country better transport services while saving the taxpayer money.’
Visit Transport-Network for a full list of the winning bids.
