Bus routes in Ashby and Measham is set to benefit from Leicestershire County Council's share of a two-year £160million Government funding 'pot'.

The council says the financial backing will help the authority to support the future of public transport, particularly in the most rural areas of the county.

It means the 129 - Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Loughborough service; along with the 7, Measham-Fenny Drayton route will get County Council support and whose review has been 'paused'.

The council has been awarded £1.78million from first-year Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP Plus) funding as part of Department for Transport (DfT) settlements to more than 60 local transport authorities in England.

However, the council makes it clear that it will not be re-instating bus services which have been withdrawn over the past few months.

The announcement has been welcomed by Councillor Ozzy O'Shea, cabinet member for highways and transport, as an opportunity to 'help us better shape the public transport offer in our rural areas.'

And while the council assesses how the funding allocation will be distributed, Councillor O'Shea is encouraging people to get back on the buses and take advantage of a current £2 fare cap extended by the Government as part of the announcement.

Councillor O'Shea said: "While this is only 'in year', short-term funding, it does offer a great opportunity to create more-sustainable services and provide a more attractive offer for communities.

"It's also very encouraging that the Government is committed to returning the bus sector to a more sustainable financial footing and the extension of the £2 fare cap until the end of October this year, and £2.50 beyond that, and into 2024, is another positive announcement

"Given the fare cap and the value for money offered, I can only encourage people to get out and about and use local services and that will help to revive the market."

Cllr O'Shea has also confirmed that the council will be pausing the passenger transport policy and strategy review of the services which the council currently subsidises, although more than 90 per cent of the bus network is run by the commercial sector.

He added: "It is vital that bus services offer value-for-money and, in using this additional money from Government, we need to ensure it is directed to offer greater connectivity for our communities, rather than continuing to subsidise low-value services."

The DfT will announce BSIP Plus funding for 2024/25 later in the year.

The services which the county council support and whose review has been 'paused':

Service 3 - Tynedale Road - Loughborough

13 - Tuckers Road - Loughborough

22B - Leicester - Birstall (Saturday)

7 - Fenny Drayton - Measham

27 - Thurmaston - Loughborough

125 - Leicester - Coalville - Castle Donington

154 - Leicester - Loughborough

747 - Leicester - Uppingham

14 - Melton Mowbray Town Service - Queensway - Tamar Road

15 - Melton Mowbray Town Service - Dieppe Way

8 - Loughborough - Melton Mowbray

55 - Melton Mowbray - Grantham

56 - Melton Mowbray - Grantham

100 - Melton Mowbray - Syston

23 - Melton Mowbray - Bottesford

25 - Melton Mowbray - Stathern

X6 - Bingham - Grantham via Muston

30 - Market Harborough - Southern Estate

33 - Market Harborough town service

44 - Fleckney - Market Harborough - Foxton

58 - Lutterworth - Market Harborough

129 - Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Loughborough

8 - Hinckley - Lutterworth

X84 - Leicester - Lutterworth (Saturday only)

6/6A/7 - Burbage - Nuneaton

X6 - Leicester - Coventry