Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes in the level of bus services on (a) economic inequality and (b) old people.

The Department considers the needs of all transport users when making policy decisions and recognises how important local bus services are to keeping people and communities connected. The Government has provided unprecedented levels of funding in recent years to support and improve bus services, having announced more than £4.5 billion since 2020. This includes the £300 million we are currently providing to local authorities and bus operators to support and improve bus services until April 2025.

In addition, the Department also makes nearly £260 million available every year through the Bus Service Operators Grant to help run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation. The Government also supports council spending of around £1 billion annually to provide free off-peak bus travel in England to those who have reached the state pension age and those with eligible disabilities. This ensures they can access vital services, stay active and avoid isolation. Furthermore, the Department is providing nearly £600 million of funding to cap single bus fares in England outside London at £2 until the end of 2024.

The Government is also investing significantly to drive improvements to bus services, including over £2 billion to help local authorities to deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans.

In 2022 the Department commissioned a three-year process, impact and value for money evaluation of Local Transport Authorities who have received funding from the Department. This work will report on any variations in impacts by different age groups using a range of methods including survey findings and bus patronage data where available. An interim report is expected to be published in 2024 with a final report due in 2025.