Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has power to intervene when bus companies terminate contracts without consultation.

Bus services in England outside London are provided commercially by bus operators with local authorities able to subsidise additional services where these are not being provided on a commercial basis. The Secretary of State has no power to intervene when bus services cease to be provided by bus operators or supported by local authorities.

Bus operators are however required to provide a Traffic Commissioner with 56 days’ notice of their intention to cancel a local bus service, and we would encourage operators and local authorities to consult with local communities before making changes to local bus services.