Stoke-on-Trent City Council is going to ask businesses and the public how it should spend £134 million of Government funding to boost local transport projects.
People will be able to have their say on how the money, which comes from the £4.7 billion Local Transport Fund (LtF), should be prioritised by the Summer.
The fund was set up following the cancellation of the second phase of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester. It will be available to spend from April 2025 and will be worth £19.4 million a year to the council up until 2031/32.
Council Leader Jane Ashworth said: “The money isn’t available until this time next year, but we need to get submissions into the Government on how we propose to spend it by November.
“So, our aim is to have a city-wide consultation in place by the Summer.
“We want to know how the money should be prioritised – for instance, how much of it should be spent sorting out our roads, fixing potholes and other repairs.
“We also want to open up a wider debate about investment in other schemes such as railway station improvements, at places like Longport, and new link road projects.
“We want to know what the public thoughts are about money being spent to help fund schemes like a rapid transit system involving trams, a proposal that has been on the table for several years.”
Cllr. Ashworth said her personal preference was to invest in the bus network – making it more affordable and reliable – but said she would be ultimately guided by public opinion.
She added: “My view is that the idea of a rapid transit system is not viable. Firstly, there is a very high-cost factor involved, and, I believe, it is not necessary to go through five years of digging up main roads to build tram lines.
“I would rather we created and expanded on our bus services – coupled with subsidised journeys that attract more people onto public transport.
“For this purpose the DfT money could be spent organising road prioritisation systems, repairs, bus shelters and associated road furniture. This would ensure we have bus routes that go to the right places at the right time – frequently.
“This would complement the work we have done through the £29 million Transforming Cities scheme, which has led to upgrading of bus routes in the Shelton area.
“That would be my choice but I’m willing to be told by public I am wrong.”
News of the consultation comes as commuters are receiving a get-to-work boost through the introduction of more bus services across Stoke-on-Trent.
Some of the bus journeys are being reintroduced following an absence of several years.
And the decision to tender out eight bus routes across the city is the first phase of a commitment to better connect people to workplaces and other key facilities such as hospitals and doctor surgeries.
The improved bus routes are set to start from today (April 15) on services that span from Longton, Bentilee and Meir Park to Ball Green, Norton and Smallthorne.
For full details of specific routes click here.
