Better Buses East Midlands

30/09/2026

Community group launches successful rural bus service

This case study from Ullswater in the Lake District shows how a local non profit community group managed to launch a new rural bus service (Ullswater Bus or UB) in 2023 funded by a blend of ticket income, grants and local business pledges. It serves popular areas that did not have a commercial bus service back in 2023. The group SITU (Sustainable and Integrated Transport for Ullswater) partnered with Stagecoach who provided the vehicles and operated the bus. In 2023 the service started as a pilot with a single 16 seat minibus which only ran at weekends and bank holidays from July to October. The success of the pilot, carrying over 1,100 passengers, led SITU to continue it, extending the service each year and, in 2026, adding a second bus over 139 days of operation.

Passenger numbers for UB service have grown year on year, with over 12,000 passengers in 2026, replacing an estimated 2,000 car journeys. The fare income has also increased. There is still a significant amount of funding from local businesses who underwrite the service, who presumably see the local economic benefits of having a better local bus service. While the fare income does not cover the amount it costs to run it, the local social and economic benefits are likely to be far more than the cost. In addition, SITU helped to fund a new weekend Stagecoach service in 2024 that links the valley with the nearby towns of Penrith and Keswick. Demand was such that Stagecoach adopted the service commercially in 2025, and in 2026 decided to run it daily throughout the Easter to October season, without any further contribution from SITU.

This case study demonstrates that there is significant repressed demand for bus services in rural areas – and when a bus service is provided which links where people are, with where they want to go, the response can be very positive, and in some cases services can become commercially viable. It shouldn’t be left to community organisations to have to go to such lengths to demonstrate this, but SITU should be congratulated for their tremendous efforts and achievement.

28/09/2026

IN PERSON CONFERENCE POSTPONED!*

Better Buses National Conference
Bus Deregulation: Fighting to end 40 years of failure

Saturday 24 October 2026, 11am-4pm

Due to severe travel disruption on Sat 24 October, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone our in-person conference in York until Spring 2027.

We will continue with a shortened online event to mark the 40th anniversary of bus deregulation on *Saturday 24 October, 2:00-3:30pm* .

If you have already registered for the in-person event, you do not need to re-register to attend the online event. We will send you the Zoom meeting details nearer the time.

If you know other people who would like to attend the online event, please continue to use this link to register: https://betterbuses.uk/conference (tickets free)

BETTER BUSES ONLINE EVENT
Saturday 24 October 2026, 2:00-3:30pm

With keynote speaker: Philip Alston, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and author of "Public Transport, Private Profit: The Human Cost of Privatising Buses in the UK"

Join our online event to mark the 40th anniversary of bus deregulation. We'll hear from experts on the history of bus deregulation, its impact on human rights, the successful campaigns for re-regulation (though bus franchising) and public ownership of buses, and discuss plans with bus campaigners on how to end bus privatisation for good!

27/09/2026

Great to be given this fantastic timetable book in the Pump room in Buxton this weekend. Many thanks to the operators and all involved in putting this information together. In 2024, domestic transport accounted for 30% of total domestic greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. When buses are promoted optimally then more people will leave their cars at home.

24/09/2026

Have you registered for the Better buses conference in York or online on 24th October.....

20/09/2026

Better Buses EM welcomes EMCCA's changes to the Nottsbus on Demand service, which supports the Stanton Hill Bus Service Improvement Group’s aspirations. As part of integrating the Travel Derbyshire on Demand service into the wider Nottsbus on Demand network, EMCCA have extended the operating zone to include Wild Hill and Tibshelf Road as far as The Carnarvon Public House. This is not the full solution the Stanton Hill Bus Service Improvement Group had proposed but it goes part of the way towards meaningful improvement and they hope it will turn out to be part of a positive process of change.

13/09/2026

Interesting findings on buses from the EMCCA Mayor’s Transport Plan consultation https://bit.ly/4yqycZc being discussed at a meeting next Thursday 17 September. https://bit.ly/4xv9KFq

In total 7,774 individuals responded which included 5,934 survey responses received:

· Out of 4 themes, “Better connect communities" was the most highly ranked theme, followed by “Increase modal choice” from both individuals and organisations

· Out of 7 goals, "Strengthen and extend public transport" was the highest-ranked goal followed by “Integrated, sustainable and resilient network” among individual respondents.

· Rural respondents placed particular emphasis on public transport improvements and access to services, while residents in Derby and Nottingham were more likely to prioritise modal choice.
The survey included detailed questions on the bus network.

· The key improvements needed for bus services were 1. Better reliability and punctuality; 2. More frequent services; 3. Shorter journey times; 4. Better connections with other transport (rail, trams, walking, wheeling, and cycling).

· In terms of satisfaction with public transport services by area – 31% of people in Nottingham were very satisfied compared with 15% in South Nottinghamshire, 6% in Derby and South Derbyshire and 2% in North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire.

· When asked what would encourage people to use buses more often, the most popular answer was better real-time information, followed by improved punctuality of services and local bus services near you operating more frequently.

· There was strong support for simple, more integrated ticketing to make journeys easier.

10/09/2026

Brilliant news from Mayor Claire re service 61 in this 'Catch the bus' month. Congratulations and very many thanks to all those who have campaigned for this.

Visit the Travel Derbyshire website to see the timetable details listing the changes from 27th September,

09/09/2026

Congratulations to Steve Rotheram and all who had the vision to start the franchising process in Liverpool City region.

02/09/2026

September is Catch the Bus month; the month-long campaign brings together operators, local authorities, community groups, businesses, charities and passengers across England, Scotland and Wales to celebrate the vital role buses play in connecting communities, supporting local economies and driving more sustainable travel
https://bususers.org/uk/catch-the-bus-month-returns-to-bust-myths-and-get-britain-on-board/

23/08/2026

Andy Burnham in his book 'Head North' (p202) writes; 'In the Bee Network, operators are answerable to the public. If they fail to deliver a good service, they can suffer financial penalties. This is exactly how it should be'.

From July 10th 2026 passengers experienced problems on 3 consecutive days on subsidised bus service 160 from Matlock to Chatsworth. One day the driver didn't pick up passengers waiting for the first bus in Matlock bus station despite the bus being seen in the waiting bay by a colleague. On the Saturday, a driver told a bus user that he wasn't prepared to serve part of the route at weekends because of parked cars. Complaints were made to Stagecoach, but if Mayor Claire isn't actively gathering feedback from bus users how will she know that services need to be improved?