Passenger satisfaction increasing as Norfolk bus service improvements continue at pace

Improvements to bus services across Norfolk are set to continue into 2025 with works starting on bus priority measures in Great Yarmouth and Norwich.

From Monday 6 January Norfolk County Council will be carrying out work to speed up bus travel through Great Yarmouth by enabling two-way traffic through the Market Gates bus interchange. This will be done, in part by changing the direction of travel on a number of one-way streets around the town centre.

Also starting on 6 January is a scheme which aims to speed up bus travel into Norwich city centre by reducing congestion on the Dereham Road approach to Grapes Hill.

Councillor Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said:

"Both of these schemes will enable buses to move more effectively which will improve journey times and reliability for local services, whilst also creating a safer environment for pedestrians. The Market Gates scheme is expected to speed up journey's by up to 5 minutes at peak times.

"We know these measures work, having seen the Thorpe Road bus gate, introduced in Norwich in 2022, save 3-8 minutes for the 300 buses a day using this key route into the city centre. This in turn is improving satisfaction with our bus services with a recent independent survey showing a 6% increase in passenger satisfaction with the punctuality of local services.

"There is still a lot to do but with many new schemes delivered or on the ground, a host of new and extended routes, the recent fare caps and introduction of electric vehicles our bus service improvement plan really is making a difference to services in the county and we can do even more with the further £15.9m recently announced.

"All of these interventions form part of our wider strategy to increase the use of public transport which help to bring cleaner air and less congestion on the roads for all."

Find further details on the changes at Market Gates and traffic management while work is carried out at www.norfolk.gov.uk/marketgates

Details of works at the Grapes Hill junction are available at www.norfolk.gov.uk/derehamroadbuslane

Find full details of all service improvements under the Bus Service Improvement Plan on the Travel Norfolk website.