More than £1 million of investment could be coming to Frodsham's local rural bus network through a funding bid endorsed last month by Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury.

On Wednesday (February 10), proposals to submit a funding bid of £1.075 million to the Department of Transport's Rural Mobility Fund will go before Cheshire West and Chester's cabinet.

Should councillors give the go ahead, and the Department for Transport approve the submission, it could 'introduce innovative public transport services' to areas like Helsby, Frodsham – and the surrounding villages including Kingsley, Crowton, Acton Bridge, Norley, and Delamere.

A pre-meeting report said: "Submission of a bid to the Rural Mobility Fund is an important opportunity to introduce innovative public transport services, which supports a number of themes of the ongoing Scrutiny Bus Review Task Group.

"The funding will also support post-Covid-19 economic recovery, encourage social inclusion, increase connectivity in rural areas and provide scope for wider access to rail services.

"The trial scheme provided by the initiative will be monitored and evaluated, providing an important insight on the feasibility of demand-responsive transport services elsewhere in the borough."

Recently, it was confirmed that Cheshire East received a £1.26 million slice from the £20 million scheme, leading to more frequent services in rural areas from this summer.

However, CEC's strategic transport lead, Cllr Craig Browne, warned that the process was lengthy, so it may be some time before CWAC residents feel the benefits.

He added that the scheme will also use 'an innovative app-based booking system, which up until now has mainly been used in urban areas by major bus companies and transport authorities'.