York and North Yorkshire will be among the first places to build the foundations for a working rural bus franchising model.
Announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review this week, the pilot will be led by a handful of "trailblazing areas" funded with a share of around £750 million per year.
It aims to deliver a better bus service for areas that currently see only one bus per week.
With better and more reliable buses, the new model aims to connect people in rural parts of the region to education, work and health services.
As part of the pilot, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will lead studies into how bus services operate across urban, rural, and coastal communities, setting the agenda and leading the way for other rural areas.
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said:
"I am pleased to see our region taking its place on the first rural bus franchising model.
“York and North Yorkshire is ready to be a trailblazer and play a vital role in building this new rural transport model, leading the way for more areas like ours.
“Look at the success of the Yorkshire Dales Explorer service. In its first year, it opened up a beautiful but remote area for thousands of passengers, boosting local businesses and providing viable, sustainable travel.
“These are the kinds of projects that make a difference in a rural area. York and North Yorkshire has the ambition and a clear vision for how we can connect people to the outdoors and to opportunity. We just need the backing from central government.”
Simon Lightwood, Minister for Local Transport, said:
“Mayor Skaith has been clear that better buses are a priority for York and North Yorkshire and I’m delighted that the region will now host one of the first franchising pilots, funded through the Spending Review.
"Building on our £1 billion investment, we’re improving and sustaining routes that keep people connected, raising living standards, and supporting economic growth - all part our Plan for Change."
The pilot will help shape the national conversation around improving rural bus services, and play an important role in exploring whether a bus franchising scheme might be right for York and North Yorkshire.
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