The Government asked for every local authority to work with their bus operators to develop a clear, detailed, and ambitious local Bus Service Improvement Plans. Local authorities, working with local operators, will determine how best to support local services.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-02T12:11:30.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8274 on Transport: North Shropshire, how the £1 billion allocated for Bus Service Improvement Plans will be spent in each local authority.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Shropshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "12195"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1671408", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1671408/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Transport has provided a total of £3.47 billion (£2.8 billion in real terms (2010/11 prices)) for bus services between 2018/19 to 2022/23. This includes the Bus Service Operators Grant, Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant, Bus Recovery Grant, Commonwealth Games funding, £2 Bus Fare Cap, and Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.<\/p>
<\/p>
The breakdown of this by year is as follows:<\/p>
<\/p>
2018/19 - £244 million (£215 million in 2010/11 prices)<\/p>
2019/20 - £249 million (£214 million in 2010/11 prices)<\/p>
2020/21 - £1.2 billion (£974 million in 2010/11 prices)<\/p>
2021/22 - £899 million (£729 million in 2010/11 prices)<\/p>
2022/23 - £873 million (£671 million in 2010/11 prices)<\/p>
In addition, on 4 October, as part of Network North, we announced a further £1 billion from redirected HS2 funding to level up bus services in the North and Midlands via BSIP, making them more frequent, more reliable, cheaper, and easier to use. We are also extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, meaning we are investing nearly £600 million in total to cap bus fares across England since the scheme was launched. On top of this, we have announced that a new uplift of 60% will be added to Community Transport Operators\u2019 (CTOs) Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) claims until 31 March 2025.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-28T14:22:40.313Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has provided for bus services in real terms in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Shropshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "2631"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670062", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670062/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The £150 million of redirected HS2 funding did not form part of the Department\u2019s Capital budget prior to 4 October 2023.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4442", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Huw Merriman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bexhill and Battle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Huw Merriman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-20T14:57:17.863Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2023 to Question 1195 on Bus Services: Finance, whether the £150 million of redirected HS2 funding formed part of his Department's Capital budget before 4 October 2023.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4473", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Louise Haigh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield, Heeley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Louise Haigh"} ], "uin" : "1935"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1668908", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1668908/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The £150m is new funding that is in addition to the £1.1 billion for BSIPs announced in 2022 and 2023, as well as the £300 million to protect and enhance bus services through Bus Service Operators Grant plus (BSOG+) and Bus Services Improvement Plan plus (BSIP+) announced in May this year.<\/p>
The £150m will form part of the department\u2019s Resource budget in the 24/25 financial year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4142", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Guy Opperman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hexham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Guy Opperman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-14T14:52:13.737Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Departments news story entitled Major £150 million funding boost for local bus services as fare cap set to be extended, published on 23 October 2023, whether the £150 million of redirected HS2 funding (a) previously formed and (b) now forms part of his Department's (i) capital or (ii) resource budget.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4473", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Louise Haigh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield, Heeley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Louise Haigh"} ], "uin" : "1195"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1656923", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1656923/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Transport recently announced a long-term approach to protect and improve bus services backed by an additional £300 million until April 2025. £140 million of this funding will go to bus operators to support services, and the remaining £160 million will go to Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to protect and enhance bus services, and support local fares initiatives.<\/p>
<\/p>
We also make available up to £259 million every year for bus operators and LTAs to keep fares down and run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation through the Bus Service Operators Grant.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme did not provide funding for bus manufacturers; however, we have provided £269.57 million to Local Transport Authorities to support the introduction of 1,300 zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure. This is part of the government\u2019s wider investment in zero-emission buses (ZEBs), which totals over £450m and funded an estimated 4,200 ZEBs across the UK so far.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4813", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Richard Holden"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Durham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Richard Holden"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-09-11T11:40:42.11Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing a long-term funding system for bus (a) operators and (b) manufacturers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4671", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Afzal Khan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Manchester, Gorton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Afzal Khan"} ], "uin" : "196586"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1651961", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1651961/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government provided over £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding for bus services in England outside London from March 2020 through to 30 June 2023, when the Bus Recovery Grant ended. On 17 May, the Government announced a long-term approach to support and improve bus services with an additional £300 million from July 2023 until April 2025. £160 million of this funding is going to Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to protect and enhance bus services, and support local fares initiatives, and £140 million will go to bus operators to protect services.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department carefully considers the impact on the bus sector of all funding decisions alongside value for money for the taxpayer for any interventions.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4813", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Richard Holden"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Durham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Richard Holden"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-07-17T15:02:30.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department had made of the potential impact of (a) reduced or (b) higher levels of funding to bus operators in the extension of the Bus Recovery Grant funding settlement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "193467"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1644363", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1644363/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department has not estimated this.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4813", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Richard Holden"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Durham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Richard Holden"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-19T13:02:59.59Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bus Services: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the average length time between allocating funding and buses operating for buses funded through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Lightwood"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wakefield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Simon Lightwood"} ], "uin" : "189459"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1611657", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1611657/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is providing up to £135 million to help over 140 operators covering more than 5,000 routes in England outside London cap single fares at £2 from 1 January to 30 June. The majority of funding is paid to commercial operators, and the amount each individual operator receives is commercially sensitive. A small number of Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) have received funding for a particular type of service to participate in the scheme.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government has also provided over £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding to bus operators and all English LTAs outside London since March 2020. LTAs have been allocated around £282 million of this funding. Where LTAs have received allocations for the £2 fare cap or through emergency and recovery funding grants, they are free to publish information on their funding allocations. Funding to commercial operators is not currently recorded in a way that allows it to be easily reported by local authority or by parliamentary constituency.<\/p>
<\/p>