More than £500,000 of vital funding has been secured to drive through improvements to bus services across the Island.
The Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP+) funding will aim to improve bus services and increase passenger numbers, which in turn will help support the local economy and reduce traffic congestion, the Isle of Wight Council said.
Some of the initial allocation has been assigned to local bus services 6 (Newport to Ventnor) and 12 (Newport to Alum Bay) which cover some of the most rural parts of the Island.
From this week, buses will start running later on these routes as extra services are added by bus operator Southern Vectis.
Routes 6 and 12 will now finish later, on weekdays and Saturdays.
The final number 6 service from Newport to Ventnor, via Chillerton, Chale, Niton and Whitwell, used to leave just before 6pm and the Route 12, from Newport to Alum Bay, via Shorwell, Brighstone, Mottistone, Freshwater Bay and Totland, used to leave at 5.40pm.
Moving forward, there will be two additional journeys on each route leaving Newport in the evening, with the last Route 6 leaving Newport Bus Station at 10.45pm and the last Route 12 at 11.10pm.
The return journeys for the Route 6 will leave Ventnor at 6.55pm and 9.45pm heading to Newport and the return journeys on the Route 12 will depart at 6.50pm from Alum Bay and 9.45pm from Totland heading to Newport.
These routes are among the first to benefit from the Enhanced Partnership between the council and Southern Vectis with plans to improve other local bus services thanks to Department for Transport funding secured by the council.
Councillor Phil Jordan, council leader and Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said:
"The £500,000 funding is excellent news for the whole of the Island — and bus passengers in particular.
"There are many benefits to bus travel, including reducing congestion, contributing to better air quality and decarbonisation.
"We are working hard to ensure we maximise the funding we have been allocated and take full advantage of all of the benefits that can be delivered."
Richard Tyldsley, general manager at Southern Vectis, added:
"Together with Isle of Wight Council, our team has worked hard to secure government funding support, which will help to make sustainable travel an even more attractive option across the Isle of Wight.
"Just one double decker bus has the potential to take up to 75 cars off our roads.
"We strongly believe buses are the perfect solution for reducing congestion and improving air quality across the Island. The Bus Service Improvement Plan will play a significant role in achieving this.”
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