Cash boost for city bus services

Nearly £50m could soon be invested in Bath's bus services, the government has announced.

Transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick, who plans to visit the city on Thursday, has provisionally approved the deal, with the government to invest £48.5m.

The Bath Public Transport Package would improve the nine major bus routes into the city and include better park-and-ride facilities, he said.

"These improvements will help make the bus a real alternative to the car."

PROPOSED CHANGES A rapid transit route from Newbridge to Lambridge A new park and ride at Lambridge Extended park-and-ride for an extra 2,000 parking spaces at Newbridge, Lansdown and Odd Down Bristol to Bath Cycleway extended to the city centre Bus priority measures on other routes Better bus stops and new shelters with real time information

"Encouraging more people onto the bus will also help to ease congestion and improve safety, which is especially important considering Bath's World Heritage Site status," he added.

"I'm confident the scheme will make the local area a more pleasant place to live, work and visit."

The local council will now take the Transport Package on to the next stage of the approval process.