Local authorities are being offered the freedom and the certainty they need to respond to local needs, with CPT declaring: ‘The time for buses is now’

 
Heidi Alexander: ‘After years of decline, better buses are finally on the way’

 
The government has announced a £3bn boost for bus services and infrastructure in England.

The multi-year funding offer will give councils the freedom to spend their allocations in whatever way they see fit, whether it is lowering the prices of fares, introducing new routes and zero emission buses or safer bus stops.

The announcement was warmly received by local authorities, bus operators and campaigners. For years, local authorities have been held back from making long-term investments, but multi-year settlements now provide the much-needed certainty to develop and drive forward plans.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “After years of decline, better buses are finally on the way. Our £3bn investment will give local authorities the long-term funding they need to deliver lower fares, more frequent services and the reliable transport that communities depend on.”

The allocations bring together various bus funding streams into one source. Almost £700m of funding will be allocated to local authorities every single year up to 2028/29 and can be spent however they want. This will help mayoral combined authorities with the costs of franchising their bus services.

Graham Vidler, CEO of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, commented: The time for buses is now. With multi-year funding finally in place, local transport authorities must get moving and invest in what matters most to passengers: more buses, faster buses and more reliable buses.”

Vidler added: “Operators stand ready to work closely with authorities across the country to turn this funding into real improvements for the communities we serve.”

Lydia Horbury, CEO Bus Users UK, said: “Passengers have faced years of cuts and uncertainty, so long-term funding for buses is extremely welcome. Giving local authorities the stability to plan ahead and invest in the services their communities rely on is essential if we’re to reverse decline and rebuild confidence in bus travel.

“We particularly welcome the flexibility for authorities to prioritise what matters most to passengers, whether that’s lower fares, more frequent services, zero emission buses or safer, more accessible infrastructure.”

Jason Prince, director of the Urban Transport Group, said: “This funding emphasises the importance of bus as the backbone of our local transport networks. The multi-year settlement and the additional Bus Franchising Fund is an endorsement of transport devolution, providing local leaders with the certainty they need to plan and invest in better bus services to meet the needs of local communities.

“The package represents a continued commitment to improving bus services and delivering on the ambitions of the Bus Services Act.”
Alongside this multi-year funding, and following the start of the bus franchising pilots across the UK, the government is also announcing a £3m Bus Franchising Fund.

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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