As the Bus Service Improvement Plans to successfully secure funding are revealed, DAVID JENKINS looks at five of the biggest winners

Go North East Wright StreetDeck 6307 (NK16 BXG) in fleet livery in Gateshead. One of the forewords to the Transport North East BSIP was written by GNE managing director Martijn Gilbert in his capacity as chair of the NE Bus operators association, proclaiming his pride at having worked in partnership with local authorities to produce the bid.
PHIL HALEWOOD
You would think that the councils and transport authorities that had won indicative funding allocations for their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP) would be shouting it from the rooftops.
But the timing of the Department for Transport's announcement on April 4 has given many a headache, as they were preparing for elections on May 5, meaning that they cannot comment on political matters during that time. It is a period that has become known as 'purdah' in local government circles.