Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support and encourage local authorities to make buses more accessible, including ensuring pavement quality, fewer obstacles, better lighting at bus stops, and improved Passenger Information Displays (PIDs).

The Government is committed to improving passenger services, including associated infrastructure, so they are more inclusive and enable everyone to travel safely, confidently and with dignity.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a range of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. This includes a measure which will enable the Secretary of State for Transport to publish statutory guidance on inclusive bus stations and stops, and to require specified public sector bodies to pay regard to it when they provide new or upgrade existing facilities. The guidance will help authorities to provide infrastructure that people can and want to use, helping to ensure that they are not prevented from using bus services because of inadequate safety or accessibility. Its scope and content, including the specific bus stop features covered, will be developed collaboratively with key stakeholder groups, including disabled people.

The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant totalling nearly £700 million per year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including delivering improvements to the accessibility of bus stops and stations.