Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the viability of community transport schemes.

The Department makes available over £3 million each year to community transport operators through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), supporting them to continue delivering inclusive and accessible transport across the country.

A new uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2025. This means operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.

We have also encouraged Local Transport Authorities to engage with community transport operators when preparing their Bus Service Improvement Plans, which are vital in setting out an area’s long term plans for bus services and how they will be improved.

Our £20 million Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) in England is supporting 16 innovative, demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas across 16 local authorities in England. These pilots are exploring whether Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) can serve these communities more effectively than traditional public transport solutions alone.