Bus services to be improved in Leicester to cut congestion

Leicester is tackling congestion and emissions, as the local authority has announced plans to improve journey times and to get rid of duplicated services.

Leicester City Council will co-ordinate several routes across the city, with new partnership agreements integrating services running along the same routes.

New contracts with First, Aviva and Centrebus will begin on a two-year trial basis from April 2023 to March 2025, simplifying timetables and reducing the likelihood of buses arriving at the same time.

This is the latest improvement of bus services since the launch of the council’s Leicester Bus Partnership this spring.

Leicester deputy city mayor for transportation, clean air and climate emergency, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: ‘The Leicester Bus Partnership means that the city council and local bus operators are working jointly on investment and innovation of the city’s public transport system.

‘As part of that we’ve focused on where services are duplicating each other, causing congestion and confusing travellers.

‘Evidence shows that reliability and journey speed is harmed by buses delaying themselves – basically too many buses trying to serve the same routes at the same time.

‘Working with the companies to reduce duplication, this trial scheme means removing up to 10 diesel buses, speeding up journey times, lowering pollution and improving timetables across the day.’

The partnership has seen collaboration between Leicester City Council and local bus operators to invest and improve public transport in the area.

Accomplishments include the introduction of a fleet of electric buses now running at Leicester’s three Park and Ride sites, as well as the Hospital Hopper service at the three main hospitals, and the Orbital route circling the city.

A further 93 electric buses are planned across 17 Firstbus and Arriva services from March next year, as well as a new city centre free Hop! service.

The council aims to have a network of 30 frequent and reliable electric bus routes in place over the next eight years.

Photo by Ant Rozetsky