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<p>Bus passenger journeys declined in rural areas in England by 9.3% from 286 million
journeys in 2014/15 to 259 million journeys in 2017/18.</p><p> </p><p>The Government
recognises the importance of public transport on the sustainability and independence
of rural communities, and provides £43 million of the Bus Service Operators Grant
each year directly to local authorities so that they can subsidise bus services. In
addition, as part of the 2018-19 local government finance settlement, the Government
increased the Rural Services Delivery Grant to £81 million. The 2019-20 settlement
increased the Grant to the same level.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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