1
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted
The Bus Service Improvement Plan process has brought out the best in many local transport authorities and bus operators. We have been impressed by the ideas and innovation produced and the enthusiasm and commitment shown. We note the prevalence of bus priority plans as part of urban bids and demand-responsive …
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The Bus Service Improvement Plan process has brought out the best in many local transport authorities and bus operators. We have been impressed by the ideas and innovation produced and the enthusiasm and commitment shown. We note the prevalence of bus priority plans as part of urban bids and demand-responsive transport schemes as part of rural ones, a sign of the very different challenges bus services face in different parts of the country.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights existing funding and programmes, including £160m additional funding through a Bus Service Improvement Plan plus (BSIP+) mechanism and £8.8 billion to transform local transport networks in city regions across England.
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Department for Transport
3
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted
The publication of the National Bus Strategy was greeted with enthusiasm across the country, but this has dissipated in the many areas which received no funding to put their ambitious plans into action. Allowing roughly half the country to miss out risks entrenching, and in some cases creating, a two-tier …
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The publication of the National Bus Strategy was greeted with enthusiasm across the country, but this has dissipated in the many areas which received no funding to put their ambitious plans into action. Allowing roughly half the country to miss out risks entrenching, and in some cases creating, a two-tier system in which bus services improve in one area while, across an invisible county border, they worsen or even disappear. Without further rounds of funding this ‘national’ Strategy will barely scratch the surface.
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Government response AI summary
The government has commissioned a Bus Transformation evaluation to understand which interventions improve bus services, assess the impact and effectiveness of BSIPs and wider bus investments, and identify best practices, with final findings due in March 2025.
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Department for Transport
18
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted
Away from the National Bus Strategy, the sector is in a tough spot. Post-pandemic, many people’s lives have changed, and this has altered, perhaps permanently, when and where they wish to travel. Reduced patronage has left many services hanging by a thread, dependent on further extensions of the Government’s ostensibly …
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Away from the National Bus Strategy, the sector is in a tough spot. Post-pandemic, many people’s lives have changed, and this has altered, perhaps permanently, when and where they wish to travel. Reduced patronage has left many services hanging by a thread, dependent on further extensions of the Government’s ostensibly short- Implementation of the National Bus Strategy 43 term recovery funding. Yet, in some areas and for some types of passenger demand has surged. So far, the Government has responded to this challenge with limited, albeit welcome, schemes such as the £2 fare cap. But it needs to do more. It would be the height of absurdity for the Government to spend billions of pounds to support the ailing bus sector through the pandemic and then allow it to wither away. The Government must continue to support the sector as it builds a new network fit for the post-pandemic world. This should be informed by a detailed analysis of the impact of schemes like the £2 fare cap and BSIPs. (Paragraph 117) 44 Implementation of the National Bus Strategy
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Government response AI summary
The government states it continues to support the sector's recovery with over £2bn in emergency and recovery funding since the pandemic's start and is working on a long-term plan after the Bus Recovery Grant ends.
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Department for Transport