Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Deferred
Adopt ambition for local authorities to provide minimum public transport connectivity.
Recommendation
The Department should adopt an ambition for local transport authorities to provide by the end of this Parliament a minimum level of public transport connectivity, supported by long-term funding. As part of this, the Department should publish evidence-led guidance on expected service levels based on settlement type, to improve consistency across regions. Decisions should be made locally about where this baseline level of connectivity is best delivered by a conventional, timetabled bus service, and where it can be provided by alternative models such as demand-responsive transport. (Recommendation, Paragraph 22)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees in principle on the benefits of multi-year, long-term funding and confirms existing multi-year bus funding. It commits to simplifying funding streams from 2026/27 and will explore the possibility of a five-year funding settlement for bus services with HM Treasury as part of the next Spending Review. However, it does not commit to adopting an ambition for local transport authorities to provide a minimum level of public transport connectivity or to publishing evidence-led guidance on expected service levels.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government agrees with the Committee in principle on the benefits of multi-year, long-term funding settlements, and recognises that annual funding restricts the ability of LTAs to make long-term funding decisions and drive value for money. It is important to note that the Department for Transport works within the constraints of overall government funding. The Spending Review set departmental budgets for day to day spending up until 2028/29, and 2029/30 on capital, and includes multi-year funding for bus to give greater certainty to local leaders. This demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to investing in bus, as well as to providing the longer-term funding allocations that LTAs have long asked for by securing funding until the end of this Parliament. The Government is also consolidating the number of different funding streams we pay to LTAs. Responding to local authority feedback, from 2026/27 we intend to simplify various funding streams to help local leaders plan and deliver their local transport priorities. This consolidated funding is an important change that will allow places to meet their local transport needs and deliver on the Government’s missions. In recognition of the benefits of providing further certainty to local authorities and the bus sector over funding arrangements, we commit to exploring the possibility of a five-year funding settlement for bus services with HMT as part of the next Spending Review.