§ Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will make an announcement on this year's Rural Bus Challenge competition. [64632]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe schemes listed have been approved for grant under this year's Rural Bus Challenge. This follows careful consideration of the 214 bids received from local authorities. The value of the bids totalled over £41.5 million, in comparison with the £11.4 million available for grant. A Special Grant Report under Section 88b of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 will be put forward for Parliamentary approval as soon as possible in the new year. 547W
Local authority Total cost (£) Title of bid approved Leicestershire 69,600 East Leicestershire Taxibus Lincolnshire 1,219,990 Making the connection—a package of improvements Medway 232,500 Real time information and bus priority through vehicle detection 6,500 Information upgrade for rural services Norfolk 444,500 Norfolk coast strategy 130,000 Flexible feeder services Northamptonshire 10,000 Mobile libraries travel guide 35,600 Brackley-Banbury Quality Bus Partnership 20,000 Safety for women scheme 180,000 Dial-a-ride: South Northamptonshire Northumberland 16,850 Development of the postbus network Nottinghamshire 1,150,000 Worksop area travel choice project Peterborough 74,250 Rural Taxibus Somerset 130,000 The Mendips flexible bus project 1,004 Exmoor community transport radio South Gloucestershire 612,000 Community transport co-ordination centres South Yorkshire 5,000 Improvements to bus turnaround 15,000 Western Barnsley—vehicle radio communications project 3,200 Refurbishment of accessible vehicle—Western Barnsley 4,500 Refurbishment of accessible vehicle—Eastern Barnsley Staffordshire 175,000 Rural Taxibus and interchange project Tyne and Wear 1,255,000 Rural Interchange points (package of measures) Warrington 5,000 Increased use of social and community buses West Berkshire 33,000 Voluntary bus escort project and co-ordinator West Sussex (and Surrey) 248,600 Demanding Public Transport West Yorkshire 364,500 Rural bus service improvements in Denby Dale Wiltshire 463,000 Wiltshire Wigglybus project York 180,000 Rural bus interchange at park and ride facilities Total 11,418,694