Nottinghamshire County Council is stepping in to save 11 bus services that operators have decided are no longer profitable.

The services would otherwise have been reduced or withdrawn by operators for commercial reasons, but will now continue in their current form.

They include:

• Marshalls 90 – Newark, Radcliffe, Nottingham (service would otherwise be withdrawn).

• Trentbarton 90 – Sutton, Kirkby, Selston, Ripley (service would otherwise be withdrawn).

• Stagecoach 14/15 – Mansfield, Ollerton, Walesby (support to maintain route and timetable serving Walesby).

• Stagecoach 1 (Mansfield Miller) – Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield (support for reduced evening service).

• Marshalls 37 – Retford, East Markham, Tuxford, Sutton on Trent, Muskham, Newark (service would otherwise be withdrawn).

The council’s financial support for these services as part of its Bus Network Review is being agreed with the commercial operators and, for the time being, passengers won’t see any difference in route or timetables, although the services may be subject to redesign and review over the next 12 months.

Coun Neil Clarke, cabinet member for Transport and Environment at the council, said: “Nottinghamshire County Council has stepped in to save these eleven bus routes for now, but it’s still a case of ‘use these bus services or risk losing them’. We hope residents in these areas will travel on these services more regularly in the future. They are a clean and safe way to travel, and you don’t have to worry about driving or parking. It’s cheaper to leave your car at home and go by bus, and it helps protect the environment too by reducing air pollution.

“The last few years have taken their toll on bus services nationally, including here in Nottinghamshire. Passenger numbers in rural areas are at around 60% of the levels we saw before the Covid-19 pandemic and at around 80% in more urban areas. We are therefore committed to working with local operators to reinvigorate bus services like these, which play a vital role in keeping communities connected.

“In Nottinghamshire, there are over 200 bus routes connecting communities, workplaces, shopping centres, health facilities and leisure venues and by using these services more frequently, residents can not only help protect their bus services but also protect their pocket.

“Now is a particularly good time for residents to jump on board their local bus and show their support because, until 31 March, a single bus journey will cost no more than £2 on most routes across the county thanks to the Government’s Help for Households scheme aimed at tackling the cost of living across the country.

“I really hope that with our support, these 11 bus services will recover to previous levels of patronage and move closer to commercial viability once again.”