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Wednesday, 20 June 2012

Good news for Nottingham!


TEN bus routes in Notts will be upgraded as part of an investment worth more than £18 million.
Improvements include tracking devices on all buses which could give late-running buses priority at traffic signals, additional cameras to make sure other motorists don't use bus lanes and more smartcard tickets to increase bus speeds.
The money will also be used to improve bus shelters and stops by installing CCTV, better lighting and better disabled access on buses and at bus stops.
The aim is to bring ten city centre bus routes up to the same standards as the tram for journey times, reliability, accessibility, emissions and information.
Routes included in the planned upgrades go towards Bilborough, Wollaton and Ilkeston, Bulwell, Sherwood and Rise Park, St Ann's and Mapperley, Sneinton and Carlton, Netherfield, Clifton, Trent Bridge, West Bridgford and Ruddington.
The largest slice of the funding – £11.9 million – will be paid by seven local bus companies, including Trent Barton and Nottingham City Transport.
Nottingham City Council has been awarded £4.9 million from the Department for Transport under the Better Bus Areas Fund to help pay for the improvements and the remaining £1.8 million will come from council funds.
Councillor Jane Urquhart, the authority's portfolio holder for planning and transport, said: "Nottingham's bus network is already very good.
"We have a huge bus patronage and we know our buses are extremely popular, so we are ambitious to carry on making the routes as efficient as they can be.
"The success of the funding bid ensures that the progress in public transport already made in Nottingham is improved even further, with travellers guaranteed a set level of reliability, journey times, quality, inter-ticketing and integrated public transport accessibility."
Ms Urquhart added that the main aim of the project was to make sure every resident in Nottingham lived near an efficient public transport stop.
She said: "The aim is to guarantee that everywhere in the city has a quality public transport route, be that a tram or a bus. When the new tram routes are up and running, I'm sure we will have conversations with the bus companies about more routes that they can take on too.
"I'm thrilled that we have got this funding and it will be great for transport in Nottingham."
City councillors approved the plans at an executive board meeting at Loxley House in the city centre yesterday.
Work is expected to start on the improvements before the end of the year.

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