Bus Service Improvement Plan

The Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) covers the administrative areas of Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Both Councils have entered into Enhanced Partnerships with local bus operators. The first Bus Service Improvement Plan was published on 29 October 2021. Lancashire County Council’s Enhanced Partnership was made on 7 April 2022 and Blackburn with Darwen’s on 10 June 2022.

With a diverse population of 1.5m people, buses are the most popular form of public transport in Lancashire carrying over 40m passengers per year and the aim of the Joint BSIP is to grow the bus market by implementing the following ten key principles: 

• Frequent – Bus service running at least every 15 minutes during the day in the major towns and cities and every 30 minutes daytime on key inter-urban routes; 
• Accessible – A bus and community transport network that can be used by all; 
• Affordable – Fares which offer value for money 
• Flexible – Multi-operator ticketing 
• Reliable – Create a reliable network 
• Comprehensive – A network that provides access to employment, education, health and leisure opportunities for our residents; 
• Green – Services operated by low, ultra-low and zero emission vehicles; 
• Attractive – Vehicles, bus stops and bus stations which are clean and well maintained; 
• Safe – ensure everyone can feel safe waiting for and travelling on bus 
• Informative – Easy to access and comprehensive information on the bus network 

Further schemes are scheduled for implementation using BSIP funding:

• Lancashire County Council – 29 bus priority schemes; and 
• Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council – 12 bus priority schemes and 36 bus stop upgrades.