Derbyshire receives £47m to boost bus services across county – including Chesterfield, Derby, Matlock, Alfreton and the Peak District

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) was successful in gaining £47m from the Government to enhance bus services across the county.

Some of this money is being used to improve timetables on 17 routes – with two already underway and others planned for the coming months.

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, DCC’s cabinet member for highways assets and transport, said: “This is great news for everyone who currently uses bus services, and we hope will tempt more people to give the bus a go.

“These improvements are all in response to people asking for more services so we are confident they will be used.

“Using the bus can be a real alternative to using the car for every journey, and for many in the county they are their only form of transport.”

The Hulleys of Baslow 55 and 170 services have had additional buses running from March 27.

Service 55, which runs from Alfreton to Chesterfield via Tibshelf, was extended to Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Chesterfield Train Station every day. It has also been extended to Wimsey Way Industrial Estate in Somercotes in the mornings and evenings from Monday – Saturday, so that workers can use the bus to get to and from their jobs.

Later evening services have also been added, with the last bus leaving Chesterfield at 11.15pm (previously 6.15pm) and Alfreton at 10.15pm (previously 6.30pm). On Sundays there are three later services, with the last bus being 11.15pm.

The 170 between Chesterfield and Bakewell has been extended from Chesterfield’s New Beetwell Street to the train station.

There are extra evening journeys at 7.00pm, 9.00pm and 11.00pm from Chesterfield and 8.00pm, 10.00pm and midnight in the other direction. These three late buses have also been extended from Bakewell to Matlock to fill a gap between the towns from Monday to Saturday.

From May 27, the frequency of the X17 services between Sheffield, Chesterfield and Matlock will increase to every 30 minutes – with every other journey extended onto Matlock Bath and Wirksworth.

Improvements to the Rainbow 1 route’s evening journeys from Alfreton to Eastwood via Somercotes will start from June 25 – allowing greater access to employment and leisure opportunities.

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From July 10, an hourly Sunday service on the Transpeak route between Derby, Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton will be introduced.

An hourly Sunday service will also be introduced on the Trentbarton Comet route between Derby, Ripley, Alfreton, Clay Cross and Chesterfield. These will run between 8.05am and 7.05pm from Derby, and 9.20am till 8.20pm from Chesterfield.

From July 24, all buses on the Stagecoach 1/1a route between Chesterfield and Langwith will service the Markham Vale Industrial Centre.

The 74/74a route would also be altered to only serve the Mastin Moor area rather than Duckmanton, and provide an enhanced frequency.

The 90/90a service would be extended to serve Duckmanton and Markham Vale every hour, with the 90a also serving the new residential estates off Inkersall Road. Direct links will also be introduced between Markham Vale and Clowne.

Other routes that will be improved include those covering Ilkeston, Derby, Melbourne, East Midlands Airport and Burton.