Bus users in North Yorkshire are being urged to "use them or lose them"
A number of new, evening and weekend services have been introduced after an injection of funds to subsidise them for 12 months.
Executive Member for Transport - Councillor Keane Duncan - says the bus companies believe the new services will be viable in the future if they get public support over the next year.
A plan to expand some North Yorkshire bus services has been approved.
It will see extra funding made available for the next 12 months to subsidise some early morning, late night and weekend services.
The councils executive member for transport - Councillor Keane Duncan - says it's important that residents now start using the services to ensure their long term future.
The call follows the authority welcoming a £3.5m government grant, paid for using money the scrapped northern part of the HS2 rail project, to boost bus services in the county, with additional buses being launched on more than 20 routes from Scarborough to the Dales.
As part of an updated bus improvement plan approved at the executive meeting to get the funding signed off, there will also be a £1 single flat-rate fare for teenagers, run separately from the £2 flat rate for all passengers which is available across the whole country.
The plan has been criticised by North Yorkshire opposition leaders, who believe the short-term funding is likely to fail to achieve long-term change.
Around a third of bus services in North Yorkshire have seen timetable reductions or have needed extra financial support since the pandemic, partly due to rising operating costs and difficulties recruiting drivers.
Future funding to boost bus services will go to the mayoral combined authority.
Ahead of being elected as mayor David Skaith said he would develop an integrated public transport system that gave people
“viable and alternative means for travel rather than relying on the car”.
He added:
“There will be a particular focus on improving people’s abilities to travel for work, education and join up our rural and coastal regions.”
The call from the executive comes two years after predecessor authority, North Yorkshire County Council, had its bid for a £116m share of the £3bn Bus Back Better fund turned down.
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