Bus stop markings

People are being encouraged to have their say on how the budget for subsidising bus travel in Staffordshire can be best spent.

A consultation over the issue begins after Staffordshire County Council identified four options for the future of such public transport journeys.

Subsidised services across the region can cost as much as £10 per passenger per trip, according to the council.

Cllr Mark Deaville, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member responsible for transport, said: “All bus journeys in Staffordshire are operated by private bus companies or voluntary and community groups – and more than 90 per cent of journeys made by people are done so are made without any subsidy from the county council.

“However in cases where we do subsidise bus trips, some people might be surprised to learn it can be as much as £10 per passenger journey.

“As a county council we have to balance how much of taxpayers’ money we can afford to spend on subsiding travel against the need to protect the funding of statutory services such as the record £300m we are spending on care this year.

“We have reviewed how much we can now afford to spend on subsidising travel and as part of this consultation we are asking people how the £1.3m can be best spent.”

The consultation closes on September 17. People can have their say online or find out more at local libraries from later this week.

The final option will be agreed by the council’s Cabinet in the autumn with the changes introduced in April 2018.

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