This week ... DfT have pledged

92 million pounds granted Cambridgeshire guided bus scheme
AND 42 million for the Bristol Showcase bus corridors

Half a million a year would safeguard a two hourly Swindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury train service for a year.   Remember - these are the HIGHEST GROWTH towns anywhere in the SouthWest and the threatened train service already has 109,000 passenegers a year.  Growth - 35% per annum, compound.

Perhaps we would be more successful if we asked for 5 or 10 million to set up a showcase bus route of our own

Bristol is still waiting for £42 million of government money to improve bus routes (links below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20519659&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20519279&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

The DfT agreed in principle to fund the GBBN in 2006. It has been working with the four councils in the Bristol area to iron out the details.

When the Evening Post spoke to former First Bristol boss Tony Anthistle in December, he was convinced the money would come through in a matter of days.

Five months on, the scheme has stalled and his successor Justin Davies is keen to implement the rest of the network.

First is paying £20m for a new fleet of buses on the routes, while private developers will contribute a further £5.7m. Local authorities are expected to provide £1.8m.

A DfT spokeswoman said the GBBN had conditional approval and the Government was "fully expecting" to fund the scheme.

She said the department wanted to make an announcement as soon as possible but more work was needed to finalise the funding package.