Following service cuts of certain Macclesfield routes last month, Cheshire East have announced a huge plan to transform bus services.

Described as 'ambitious' by the unitary authority, the changes see an nine-year-plan through to 2030, in improving our town's buses.

The Cheshire East Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) sets out proposals to work with local communities, public transport users and local bus operators to boost services and develop transformational change across the network.

Our area has one of the lowest bus usage rates in the country.

The plan seeks to deliver better quality, more reliable and more frequent buses, with simpler, integrated ticketing between bus routes and other public transport.

It will also build on the council's existing Flexilink service as well as their recently-launched 'go-too' demand-responsive bus service.

The document has now been submitted to the Department of Transport in a bid to secure funding through the government's national bus strategy 'Bus Back Better'.

Councillor Craig Browne, chair of Cheshire East Council's highways and transport committee, said: "This is an ambitious plan and improving the speed, reliability and quality of public transport would help encourage more residents to choose the bus, make fewer car journeys and contribute to our carbon reduction commitments."

Cheshire East Council have pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025, 37 months away.

But the new public transport plans go five years further.

The BSIP focuses on three phases:

â— Phase one: Stabilisation of the bus network (2021-23) – improving reliability and punctuality, simplifying fares and improving integration of public transport;

â— Phase two: Improving quality (2022-25 and beyond to 2030) – including more frequent services, better access and information and improved value for money; and

â— Phase three: Network growth (2023-25 and beyond to 2030) – making bus use more attractive, such as via investment in bus/rail interchanges and multi-modal ticketing.

Despite this new overhaul, sweeping changed were announced a fortnight ago, cutting buses in Langley and the centre of Macclesfield.

As of November 14, other Macclesfield buses which will be removed completely include the 2, 2A Arriva Macclesfield to the Weston Estate, and 21, 21A Arriva Macclesfield - Hurdsfield.

A service 14 bus, ran by High Peak Buses from Macclesfield to Langley, is also operating on a reduced timetable due to staffing crises.

North West bus enthusiast William Connolly said: "Cheshire East has long suffered from poor bus services."

"It is a challenge commercially due to the population density in the borough but the council just doesn't seem to want to tender adequate services for communities."

The reduction of service for these certain buses also led to cuts for eight other borough buses, for which you can read more about here.

Councillor Laura Crane, chair of the members' advisory panel on the BSIP, said: "The bus network in Cheshire East is facing a number of challenges due to a long-term structural decline in passengers – including a 24 per cent fall in passenger journeys since 2011 – compounded by recent loss of custom during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Use of buses could take some time to recover, as passengers need to be confident that using bus services will provide the reliable, safe and cost-effective transport that they expect.

"We need a bus service that works for our residents – a more reliable, more user-friendly and greener service to ensure that bus travel does not become a thing of the past."

Cheshire East's next key stage is preparation of a new statutory 'enhanced partnership agreement' with bus operators, which is due to be completed in April 2022.

Macclesfield: how would you like to see our bus network change?

You can read more about the temporary cuts to the Langley bus here.

See also: GALLERY: Take a trip down memory lane, with the history of buses in Macclesfield.

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