High Peak secures £6m “Mini Switzerland” transport pilot for Hope Valley

Residents and visitors in the Hope Valley are set to benefit from a pioneering £6 million investment to deliver a Swiss-style integrated public transport system, following campaigning by High Peak’s Labour MP Jon Pearce and local campaigners from Hope Valley Climate Action.

The “Mini Switzerland” pilot will bring together buses and trains on coordinated, clockwork timetables – meaning better connections, less waiting and a more reliable alternative to the car.

Inspired by Switzerland’s world-renowned transport network, the scheme will see services timed to meet each other every hour, with simple, joined-up ticketing and clearer information for passengers.

The funding from the Government, awarded to the East Midlands Mayor and  Combined County Authority, will test whether this approach can transform rural transport in the Peak District, improving access to jobs, education and healthcare for residents, while helping visitors explore the area without adding to congestion and parking pressures.

The pilot forms part of the Labour Government’s wider Better Connected transport plan, aimed at improving how people travel by better linking buses, trains, roads and trams.

Jon Pearce, MP for High Peak said:

“It is great that Hope Valley has been chosen for this project. For too long, communities from Castleton to Hope and Bamford have put up with unreliable public, congestion and illegal parking. It came to a crunch last year when a TikTok craze to take photos at sunrise and sunset caused all sorts of problems with roads blocked stopping farmers accessing their fields and emergency services being held up.

We’ve campaigned hard to tackle the problem – better road markings, signage and parking enforcement will make a difference. But this Mini Switzerland project, the brainchild of the volunteers of Hope Valley Climate Action, has the potential to tackle the root cause of the problem. It is great the Government and East Midlands mayor have listened to our local communities’ needs.

“I’ve been pushing for buses and trains that actually work together, with regular, reliable timetables and simple, joined-up tickets. That’s how we give people a real alternative to the car and improve everyone’s enjoyment of Peak Park.

“This is about providing a more sustainable way to enjoy our magical countryside and environment whilst protecting what makes it so special.

“As we mark 75 years of the Peak District National Park, this project will hopefully help keep it accessible, sustainable and loved for the next 75.”

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said:

“This £6 million investment is a major step forward for transport in the Peak District. It builds on the work we’re already leading to improve connectivity for rural communities and shows that places like the Hope Valley can have the ambition and reliability people expect in our cities.

“Working with partners, we’re strengthening links across the Peak District. This ‘Mini Switzerland’ pilot goes further by joining up buses and trains through coordinated timetables and easier connections – so people can rely on public transport as a genuine alternative to the car.

“This will make it easier for residents to access jobs, education and healthcare, while helping visitors enjoy the Peak District more sustainably. If we can make this work in the Hope Valley, it can provide a blueprint for better rural transport across the region and beyond.”

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP said:

 “People in rural communities deserve real choice in how they get around, and that is why we are backing this new pilot in the Hope Valley.

“By helping buses and trains run to the same timetable, Mini Switzerland aims to make getting to work or a day out in the Peak District by public transport as easy as jumping in the car.

“This is exactly the kind of practical innovation at the heart of our Better Connected strategy, improving everyday journeys while helping local economies.”