Trafford bus routes get £2m funding (From Messenger Newspapers)

Trafford bus routes get £2m funding

10:30am Saturday 21st April 2012 in News

TRAFFORD is to benefit from more than £2 million in funding to improve bus routes in the borough.

This is part of a £5 million package awarded to Greater Manchester from the Department for Transport’s Better Bus Areas Fund.

It follows a successful bid by Transport for Greater Manchester, supported by councils in the area including Trafford.

The money will be spent over the next two years on various projects.

The delivery of a Trafford Park busway scheme will use £1 million of Government funding and £1.9 million in section 106 money, agreed with the granting of planning permission.

This will provide bus priority through the congested junctions on Barton Dock Road on the main approach to the Trafford Centre from the direction of the city centre.

An improved bus link to Trafford Park, with £684,000 of Better Bus Areas funding and £117,000 from Transport for Greater Manchester, will extend the existing 245 service.

This will provide a half-hourly direct bus link to the Trafford Centre, Trafford Quays Leisure Village, Trafford Park, Media City and Salford Quays from Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme.

A £449,000 investment and a £101,000 section 106 contribution will see bus priority on the A56 with a new lane around the Sir Matt Busby Way/White City area junctions.

The schemes aim to target already busy routes and improve links to Trafford’s key employment areas.

Trafford Council’s corporate director of environment, transport and operations Peter Molyneux said: “I am delighted that this funding has been secured as it will play a key part in getting these schemes off the ground.

“Trafford Park is the biggest industrial park in Europe and it is vital we do all we can to improve public transport links for the thousands of workers who travel in and out daily.

“Similarly, the A56 is the busiest road in the borough and any improvements we can make to keep traffic flowing as freely as possible are valuable.”