11,000 respond to bus consultation

More than 11,000 people and businesses had their say as part of a consultation on subsidised bus services in Wiltshire which finished on 4th April.

The review is being carried out as part of wider plans to help Wiltshire Council save millions of pounds over the next three years – although no savings are planned from the transport budget this year.

Half of the bus mileage in the county is subsidised by £5.1 million per year from Wiltshire Council as it is not commercially viable otherwise. The rest of the services in Wiltshire are operated on a commercial basis by various operators.

Philip Whitehead, cabinet member for transport said, “I would like to thank everyone who’s taken part in the consultation. The responses will help shape how our bus services run in the future, to create sustainable public transport for Wiltshire for years to come. We expect to be in a position to present our ideas in the autumn.”

The review will also consider how community transport might be able to assist with public transport alongside continuing work to identify savings in other areas of the council’s passenger transport spending.

Later this year a report will go to Wiltshire Council’s cabinet members to make a decision.