
Better Buses East Midlands
New: Please sign our petition calling on East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward to Bring our Buses Back into Public Control. For more information please see our Bus franchising FAQ.
Residents across the East Midlands have formed a coalition calling for Better Buses in the East Midlands (which expands the group formerly known as Better Buses Derbyshire). This is part of a national Campaign for Better Buses supported by the National Pensioners Convention, local bus campaigners, trade unions and climate groups.
Local campaigners are calling for:
- Guaranteed, adequate funding to make public transport the most efficient, reliable, attractive option.
- Bus franchising made easier to implement (as they have done in Greater Manchester) and the first step towards a return to full public ownership of bus services.
- Full public ownership of bus services to ensure people are put before profits
- Up to date and consistent advertising of public transport including full information and travel maps at bus stops.
- A regular, reliable, affordable, zero-emission bus network in every village and town in Derbyshire.
Buses are not only essential services for many but are urgently needed to meet carbon targets by replacing car journeys.
Bus use per person in Derby, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire fell by more than a third between 2009/10 and 2023/24. Nottingham, which is one of the few local authorities to have a municipal bus service (i.e. owned by the local authority), has a much higher than average bus use than the national average.
See a Chesterfield public transport map showing rail and bus routes and approximate times from Chesterfield.
See our greener holidays and travel page for links to greener travel sites
Better Buses Derbyshire campaign protested against the lack of bus information, including printed timetables and information at bus-stops, in Bakewell in April 2024. See articles in the Derby Telegraph and the Derbyshire Times. The group also did surveys of local passers-by on how frequently they used buses and the barriers stopping them using buses more. Results of the survey an be found here with our recommendations.
Better Buses Derbyshire held a day of action in October 2023. The protests staged in Chesterfield, Matlock and Bakewell, were joined by local representatives from the National Pensioners Convention, trade unions, climate groups (including Transition Chesterfield, XR and Derbyshire Climate Coalition), individuals, bus campaigners as well as local Councillors from the Labour and Green Parties.
See press coverage in the Derbyshire Times and on BBC East Midlands and photos from the day below.

Campaigners in Chesterfield, Matlock and Bakewell

Photos sent in by people across Derbyshire