The 'Mini-Switzerland ' project based in the Hope Valley is all systems go ! From the Press release:-

The Department for Transport has announced that £6 million in national funding will be allocated to delivering ‘Mini Switzerland’ – a bold national transport project that will demonstrate how integrated, affordable rural public transport can be achieved – with further funding to be provided by East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) from its Transport for City Regions settlement.

EMCCA, led by Mayor Claire Ward, will deliver the project, which will bring ‘Swiss-style’ integration one step closer to the Peak District. Under the plans, buses will be timed to connect with trains, tickets will work across all modes of travel, and the whole system will operate as one joined-up network.

The funding announcement is a landmark moment for the project, which has been championed by local communities in the Hope Valley and developed by transport professionals and volunteers working alongside Hope Valley Climate Action and has received support from national and regional Government, operators and consumer groups.

Unlike many transport schemes, Mini Switzerland does not depend on new railways or large-scale construction. Instead, it delivers transformation through better coordination: enhanced services, modest infrastructure improvements, clear information and simple integrated ticketing.

Read the BBC article here ! 

Thomas Ableman, public transport expert and creator of the concept (see the Freewheeling website!) , said it was "fantastic" the project had received government backing and said he would be pushing for a longer-term funding settlement for it.

"One of the wonderful things about this is that it doesn't require large scale infrastructure investment [but] there is some investment because it needs to be good.

"You need good bus stops, better pedestrian access between stations and bus stops, new signalled crossings... plus much better, and more buses.

"There's absolutely no reason why this can't be done quickly and once it's proved in the Hope Valley, there's no reason why it can't be done in all rural areas," he said.