Select committee: Transport Committee
Conclusion 3
Fourth Report - Implementation of the National Bus Strategy
Published 30 Mar 2023
Paragraph 44
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee National bus strategy: one year on All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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.
From: Transport Committee, Fourth Report - Implementation of the National Bus Strategy (HC 161), paragraph 44, 30 March 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 June 2023 (deadline 30 May 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response welcomes the report and states that it is "absolutely committed to delivering the aims of the National Bus Strategy", with recommendations variously accepted, partially accepted or noted.
- On Enhanced Partnerships (Recommendation 2), it "accepts this recommendation" and says it is working with local transport authorities and operators "to monitor how well they are working".
- On guidance and municipal bus companies (Recommendation 3), it accepts the recommendations on franchising and municipal companies and partially accepts the one on socially and economically necessary services, planning to publish new guidance "during this Parliament".
- On zero-emission buses (Recommendation 4), it "partially accepts", says it will "shortly make an announcement on the end of sales date", and says it will "explore any future innovation with an open mind" on synthetic fuels.
- On Bus Service Operators Grant reform (Recommendation 5), it "partially accepts" and will publish a consultation "later this year", but says it "cannot confirm the exact content of the reformed BSOG" until evidence is analysed.