£298m transport package promises better buses and safer streets across region

Credit: Onclusive News

Nearly £300m of funding for transport improvements has been approved by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) Board.

The funding will transform travel across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire with new electric buses, upgraded bus stations and shelters, safer walking and cycling routes, and improved real-time travel information.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “I am committing a further £298m from my Mayoral Transport Fund to create the reliable, safe, and accessible transport network that our region needs. By improving key bus routes, upgrading bus stops and stations, and enhancing active travel networks, we’re helping communities to be better connected to jobs, training opportunities, and each other.

“Transport is a key part of everyone’s daily lives, and for too long, our communities and businesses have had to contend with a transport network that was holding them back. By working with our partners across the region, we are building a network that works well as one system and supports the East Midlands to thrive.”

Improving transport across the region

The projects earmarked for funding include:

Nottingham City

• A new segregated cycle track along Wigman Road linking to Harvey Hadden Sports Village;
• Improvements to bus services including new electric buses for Nottingham City Transport and Trent Barton, new bus shelters, and accessibility and safety upgrades;
• Reducing passenger delays by improving busy bus routes including the A6002, Thane Road, and Meadows Way;
• Pedestrian improvements to improve access to jobs, leisure, and transport hubs across the city.

Nottinghamshire

• Upgrades to walking and cycling routes at the Lady Bay / Cyril Road and Mabel Grove junctions;
• Improving key bus routes and junctions in Hucknall, Sutton, and the A60 at Baum’s Lane;
• New transport hubs at Radcliffe-on-Trent, Cotgrave, Easte Leake, and Ollerton, as well as a new bus station in Sutton-in-Ashfield to improve waiting areas and active travel connections;
• Installing 900 new real time displays, solar powered lighting at 500 shelters, and living roof installations to support local wildlife.

Derby City

• Early design work for new walking and cycling routes, including the MickMack cycle route, Ashbourne Road / Prince Charles Avenue, the A38, and Station Road, Mickleover;
• Upgrading 120 bus stops with new shelters, improving stops, and installing real-time information displays;
• Improvements to Derby Bus Station to deliver a safer and more modern passenger experience.

Derbyshire

• Better connecting Derbyshire’s market towns;
• Delivering five new transport hubs, including at Glossop, Clowne, and Ilkeston with improved waiting areas, accessibility enhancements, CCTV, and lighting upgrades;
• Transforming active travel across the region by creating a high-quality route for walking, cycling, and wheeling as part of the Mayor’s Active Travel Loop;
• A new active travel link from Balborough to Clowne Greenway;
• Rolling out 700 new real-time information displays at bus stops, transport hubs, and key destinations, with a particular focus on Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak, and South Derbyshire.

Region-wide improvements will also include upgrades to bus stops and measures to tackle pinch points that slow down services.

All the proposed investments will now be assessed further through EMCCA’s due diligence process. EMCCA will continue to develop the projects in partnership with local councils across the region to support long-term transport planning and inclusive growth.

Building on previous funding commitments
The funding agreed builds on £470m of investment into transport which was approved by Board members in March 2026 to deliver better buses, road repairs and safer cycle routes.

The investment – the largest funding settlement ever secured for the region – aims to modernise the region’s transport network, support economic growth, and improve environmental sustainability, delivering lasting improvements across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire

The settlement saw EMCCA board members recognise the “backlog of maintenance issues across our highways”, with a minimum of £120.9m approved for road maintenance and repairs across the region for each of the next three years – a 140 per cent uplift on maintenance investment in 2024/25.

The funding, shared between the four local highways authorities across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, will ensure smoother journeys, safer roads and more reliable travel for residents and businesses alike. Regular repairs and upgrades will also make the region’s transport network more resilient to heavy use, extreme weather and future demand.