Bus link wins green light (From Warrington Guardian)

Bus link wins green light

MERSEYTRAVEL is to get more than £900,000 from the Government under the Urban Bus Challenge Competition with part of the cash going to improving a 'high-flying' service for St Helens townsfolk.

The money will be used to boost its Joblink service and expand the existing bus service between St Helens and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Following the announcement by Transport Minister Tom McNulty, chair of Merseytravel, Councillor Mark Dowd, said: "This is fantastic news. We're grateful to the Minister for showing his confidence in our objectives to improve job opportunities and provide a fully integrated transport service accessible to all on Merseyside".

A total of £439,000 will be spent on the Joblink initiative, launched two years ago, to provide bus links between areas of high unemployment and key employment areas.

Buses operate on fixed routes with services timed to coincide with the main shift start and finish times at businesses on the main industrial estates.

At other times of the day Joblink provides a unique 'door to door' transport service for clients of the Job Centres, Action Team for Jobs and other training agencies across the area with the objective of helping the long term unemployed make the transition back to training and jobs.

A further £504,000 is to be spent on increasing the frequency and extending the hours of the number 89 service between St Helens and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Councillor Dowd added: "This service also runs through Prescot and Huyton to the strategic investment area of Speke/Halewood as well as providing access to job opportunities at Liverpool John Lennon Airport".

The Urban Bus Challenge competition was launched three years ago with the aim of regeneration of deprived urban areas by improving local transport, targeting the support to areas that need it most.