Wiltshire Council Funds Over 40% of Bus Mileage, Highest in West for a Decade

Wiltshire Council presently provides financial backing for over 40% of the county’s bus mileage, positioning Wiltshire as the most heavily subsidised county in the West region for over ten years. In the previous year, Gloucestershire, an adjacent rural county, saw more than 20% of its bus services receive subsidies. Councillor Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member responsible for transport, affirmed that the expenditure was “absolutely” justified. Andrew Sherrington, who manages the Salisbury Reds bus company, noted the council’s commitment to extending bus services to rural parts of the county. The proportion of subsidised miles within Wiltshire has decreased from 57% in 2010, when 4.83m miles received support compared to 3.66m purely commercial miles. Mr Sherrington, who serves as the general manager for Salisbury Reds and Swindon Bus Company (both subsidiaries of Go South Coast), stated, “I think Wiltshire Council has committed itself to preserving a lot of bus services compared to other counties.” He also highlighted that “Some rural populations have no access to public transport at all.” He described a dichotomy: Swindon, an urban locality with minimal subsidised mileage, versus a vast expanse of the Wiltshire countryside characterized by a significantly smaller populace. The council allocates approximately £7.3m to bus services and £3.8m to concessionary fares, including bus passes. Councillor Reay explained that companies frequently cannot operate rural services independently because such routes would not generate profit. She added, “Many people don’t have a car. Buses enable people to get around, to connect with people. Otherwise some people would be very, very isolated.” Mr Sherrington expressed satisfaction with the performance of their rural services. He noted that the government’s £2 single fare initiative, designed to encourage bus ridership after the pandemic, has been “really successful, particularly on our longer routes.” He commented, “I don’t think we’ve got anything particularly to worry about, it has brought people back to our buses.” Nevertheless, changes are anticipated shortly, as the government intends to raise the single fare limit to £3. Mr Sherrington mentioned their ongoing awareness that “there was going to have to be an exit strategy somewhere,” but he believes that given Wiltshire’s extensive size, the revised fare would continue to offer good value on longer journeys. Both Mr Sherrington and Councillor Reay identify the Wiltshire Connect Service, which first commenced in the Pewsey area, as a successful recent innovation in rural transport. This service offers greater flexibility, allowing individuals to book a bus and avoid lengthy trips to a bus stop or adherence to rigid schedules. Councillor Reay reported that the new service has led to a one-third increase in passenger numbers compared to the previous timetabled service. Conversely, park-and-ride buses represent a service type that remains somewhat underutilized. Salisbury offers five park-and-ride facilities, and Mr Sherrington observed that their post-pandemic recovery has lagged behind other services. Wiltshire’s bus funding recently received an additional injection, with £7m from the government designated for service enhancements. Furthermore, the council has initiated a public consultation to gather feedback on future public transport provisions, as part of developing a new local transport plan. For updates, follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.