CHESHIRE West and Chester Council is developing a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), aimed at encouraging more people across the borough to travel by bus.

The Government has earmarked £3 billion towards improving bus services throughout England – and your thoughts are needed.

The BSIP will set out the council’s ambitions for bus service improvements and help secure a proportion of the funding to benefit people living, working and travelling in Cheshire West and Chester.

The Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, highways and strategic transport, councillor Karen Shore said: "We need residents’ views to help us develop the plan.

"We want to find out what improvements are needed for local bus services and what would make you use local buses more.

"We’d like to hear from you whether you travel by bus or not.

"Good bus services help tackle congestion in towns and stop rural communities being cut off.

"They’re vital in tackling social exclusion and loneliness and zero emission buses can help cut air pollution and reduce carbon emissions.

"We’re working with all the bus companies in Cheshire West and Chester on an improvement plan and need to know what broad changes to the way bus services operate would encourage people to use them more often.

"We can then use this information to make a bid for Government funding to make the changes happen.

"Please take part in our online questionnaire and let us have your views so that together with our bus companies we can improve services in the borough."

The council would like to hear from everybody with a view on buses including public, private and voluntary organisations who have an interest in making bus services more attractive.

The improvement plan is set to be developed by October 31.

The survey is available online and the closing date is Tuesday, August 31.

Email transportstrategy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk with any questions or if you need help completing the survey.