The UK government has announced that it will provide £955m to support bus services until 2026 and improve service disparity across the country.
The funding aims to provide service equity by maintaining the high level of service in urban areas and ensuring that historically underserved regions, such as rural areas and small towns, receive improved services.
Transport secretary Louise Haigh has confirmed £712m funding for local authorities to improve bus services, and a further £243m for bus operators – a longstanding grant paid to keep fares lower and services more frequent than they would otherwise be.
The investment has been designated to enhance popular routes, protect rural services and increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting.
It will prevent service reductions on at-risk routes and improve punctuality across England, to bring an end to the current postcode lottery of unreliable services, Department for Transport (DfT) reports.
This £955m investment will also ensure that lifeline services between towns and hospitals can continue transporting patients to vital appointments, supporting the government’s ambitions to reform the NHS.
Across the country, local authorities can use funding to support community events, take the strain off commuters, or boost tourism.
In urban areas, some of the biggest allocations are given to combined authorities representing South Yorkshire (£17m) and Liverpool City Region (nearly £21m), while councils covering rural areas have also been allocated large allocations to protect lifeline routes.
These include Lancashire (£27m), Kent (£23m), Essex (£17m) and Norfolk (£15m) county councils.
Transport secretary Louise Haigh said: “Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken. Too often, passengers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some have been cut off altogether.
“That’s why we’re reforming funding to deliver better buses across the country and end the postcode lottery of bus services.
“And it’s why we’re providing over £1bn of funding to keep fares down, protect local routes and deliver more reliable services.
“This is part of our wider plan to put passengers first and give every community the power to take back control of their bus services through franchising or public ownership.
“By delivering better buses, we’ll ensure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities – powering economic growth in every corner of the country.”
Achievements and innovations in transport planning will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table!
