Why more bus lanes are right for our town

AS I sit and write this month’s column, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my dedicated team of drivers who are currently out and about in very wintry and snowy conditions. The work of our drivers, with support from colleagues who work tirelessly behind the scenes, is appreciated as we help to keep Warrington moving.

2019 has so far given me plenty of food for thought for how we can make bus travel more enticing – not just in Warrington, but across the UK.

The general picture is that bus usage nationally is on the decline, and recently, a health watchdog announced that future road schemes in Warrington should prioritise bus passengers, pedestrians and cyclists over cars. It’s essential that public and active transport is promoted – fewer cars on the road means cleaner air, less congestion and faster journeys, bringing health benefits for all of us.

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We must think carefully about offering free or cheap car parking for example, as it increases the temptation to use cars.

I’m pleased to see that bus lane enforcement cameras have been introduced on Legh Street and Wilderspool Causeway. It is important to build on this with more bus lanes and more incentives to use public transport.

For our part, I’m pleased to say that on top of our promotions, our main fares have been frozen for a fourth year running, despite recent fuel price increases. We now have comparable prices to other bus operators in the region and if you use the ‘Touch & Go Warrington’ app, you can get further discounted travel across the network.

Finally, we are finalising our forthcoming April service changes. We have listened to consultation and will have more destinations and lower fares to come. We will announce the changes soon. Please tweet us at @WarringtonBuses or visit warringtonsownbuses.co.uk if you’d like to offer any feedback.