We are urging our customers and residents in Derby to join a campaign to save two bus lanes that are helping to drive economic growth in the city.

According to media reports, moves by the City Council to scrap the bus priority measures in Duffield Road and Kedleston Road will cost taxpayers £42,000, with the total cost of implementation and removal across the whole project amounting to £500,000, and trent barton believes they will also have a significant impact on the local economy.

Alex Hornby, Commercial Director, explained that services using the bus lanes carry around 270,000 customers every week and many are bitterly disappointed at the council's decision.

"The Duffield Road scheme has been a major success, helping to reduce journey times and boosting the number of people travelling on our Belper to Derby services by 10%," he said.

"Meanwhile the Kedleston Road bus lane - which benefits buses serving the University and Allestree - has only been open for six months without having the chance to achieve its full potential."

Now Alex is appealing to customers to sign up to its 'I want to be in the Bus Lane' campaign by signing a petition or writing to the press or their local councillor.

"Just a few miles away Nottingham has a proactive authority that justifiably claims to be the UK's least car dependent city," continued Alex. "It recognises the value of such pro-public transport policies to the economic and environmental welfare of the city but in Derby we are seemingly heading in the opposite direction.

"Even more surprising is the fact that the day after Derby City Council's decision, the Government published a White Paper advocating the use of public transport and highlighting its many benefits."

Alex went on to say that bus passengers are not the only people who will be affected by the changes.

"It is estimated that 60% of visitors to Derby city centre travel there by bus and this decision by the council will increase journey times and reduce reliability. This will force many people back into their cars, further increasing congestion which is bad for businesses and local residents as well as the environment," he added.

Anyone who wants to find out more about the campaign can visit the company's website at www.trentbarton.co.uk  or sign the petition by following this link www.surveymonkey.com/s/derbybuslanes  or pick up a leaflet on the sixes services between Belper and Derby and the allestree that runs along Kedleston Road.

Alternatively they can email their support to savethebuslanes@trentbarton.co.uk or follow the campaign on facebook.