Thank you for contacting me about bus regulation.
Buses are an important part of the UK’s public transport network, being used for twice as many journeys as trains and from thousands more stopping places across the country.
Through the National Bus Strategy, the Government will ensure the skillsets of both private bus operators and LTAs are brought together in either an Enhanced Partnership, or through franchising agreements. This is a welcome approach that will develop and deliver improvements for passengers and is backed by the £3 billion investment pledged in 2020. I am glad to see that all LTAs have now confirmed that they are developing one, or both approaches, and that Bus Service Improvement Plans are being developed for the 31 October deadline. This strategy will prove equally beneficial in supporting decarbonisation goals, as £120 million has already been invested in zero-emission buses this year.
This investment is in addition to the £50 million already pledged to deliver the first all-electric bus town in the UK, whilst striving towards the Prime Minister’s commitment to 4,000 new zero-emission buses.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.