Sheffield to get £18m government cash for buses Published duration 26 February 2013

Sheffield is to get £18.3m from the government for its bus services over the next five years.

The city is the first to use the government's new funding system for buses, which means subsidies currently paid to operators will instead go to the local authority.

The subsidies will be topped up with an extra £1.6m a year from government.

The money will be spent on improvements to infrastructure, traffic control and bus information.

Transport minister Norman Baker said: "I am pleased Sheffield will become the first area to receive devolved funding under our new Better Bus Area initiative, which changes the traditional method of funding bus travel in a way designed to drive up performance and passenger numbers."