Harrogate is to benefit from 'biggest boost for North Yorkshire buses in over a decade’ says transport boss Keane Duncan

Coun Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council's Executive Member for Highways and Transport, hailed the investment plan as “the biggest boost for buses in over a decade”.

Although the full details of where the financial boost will be spent will be confirmed after a meeting of the council’s executive, the town would be among the winners, he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“With £3.5m of extra funding, we will be delivering the most significant boost for North Yorkshire bus services in over a decade,” said Coun Duncan.

“We’re able to fund more than 30 service improvements in all corners of the county, in our towns including Harroagte and in our rural communities, too.

“We’re funding entirely new services and more frequent ones.

"Earlier services, later services and extra weekend services, too.”

The £3.5m package, using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding from the Department for Transport, will be considered by the Executive later this month.

Coun Duncan said the county was committed to supporting bus services.

“Two years ago, I reported that 79 bus services in the county were at risk.

"As a result of our efforts, passenger numbers are up and every one of those routes has been protected.

“This is a significant reversal of fortune.=

"And we are now able to go further, not just protecting existing services, but expanding them, too."