Lib Dem bus success in Portsmouth shows the way

Martin Tod, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight, wants to replicate the success his party has had in revitalising bus use in Portsmouth across the entire Hampshire region. 

Under Lib Dem leadership at Portsmouth City Council, bus usage has surged making Portsmouth one of the fastest-recovering bus networks in the country - increasing usage by 41% in the last two years.

The revival of bus usage has been part of a co-ordinated strategy by the Lib Dems to boost public transport in the city. At the instigation of the Lib Dems, Portsmouth Council has won over £48 million of government investment for Portsmouth through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). As a result of increased funding and consistent political support, the city now boasts new and more frequent bus routes, including evening and weekend services that people can rely on. Residents also now benefit from cheaper, simpler fares, free-fare promotional weekends to drive trial and better tickets for young people. Other initiatives include real-time bus information screens, greener bus shelters, intelligent traffic lights and electric buses, making the network more reliable and sustainable. Meanwhile, communities living away from main bus routes are benefiting from the trial of the Pompey Link on-demand bus service, connecting areas that were previously cut off.

“Over 1 million bus journeys are now being taken in the city each month because services are affordable, frequent, and reliable. If elected as Mayor for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight next May, I intend to build on Portsmouth’s success,” said Martin Tod, currently Leader of Winchester City Council, and an advocate of public and more sustainable transport. 

“Portsmouth shows what Liberal Democrats can do for public transport when we’re in charge. We’ve made buses cheaper, more reliable, and more frequent — and passenger numbers are soaring as a result. Imagine what we could achieve with a Lib Dem Mayor for the whole region: additional funding from government and a transport network that works for everyone, wherever they live. More for residents, more for our region,” said Martin.

 "We're making bus services better - and that's good for everyone. " said Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth CIty Council.  "More people choosing to take a better bus service means less congestion and easier parking for those who still prefer or need to drive and better air quality for everyone, especially as buses go electric.  Everybody wins."