Conclusion 20

We welcome the ambition in the recent national bus strategy to increase bus usage and ensure cheaper and more reliable bus services across the country. In particular, we welcome its promise to give local authorities more control over bus services, either by agreeing Enhanced Partnerships with bus operators or by seeking franchising powers like those enjoyed by Transport for London. It must be acknowledged, however, that franchising will be expensive. We also commend the Department for Transport’s proposals for encouraging demand-responsive services in rural areas and its provision of additional funding through the Rural Mobility Fund. We are concerned, however, that this will not be enough to achieve the Government’s aim of ensuring high-quality services everywhere. We note, too, that the Rural Mobility Fund was allocated through a process of competitive bidding. As we have already noted, it is difficult for local authorities to plan for the long term on the basis of funds allocated through competitive bidding. We also note that the transport decarbonisation plan barely mentions the role of light rail in the future of public transport.