Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the impact of bus franchising schemes on the geographic density of local route networks.

The Department has not assessed whether bus franchising schemes have affected the geographical density of local route networks.

To date, the only areas outside London to have introduced bus franchising are Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region, with Liverpool currently in the process of implementation.

The Bus Services Act 2025 places passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry. It moves power away from central Government and operators, and towards local leaders, who know their areas best. The Act expands the options available to local authorities so that each area can pursue the model of bus service delivery that is right for it, while also safeguarding the needs of passengers.