Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues on standards of consultations prior to bus route changes; and whether there is a requirement in that guidance that passenger number surveys are conducted on multiple days of the week at multiple times of the day.

The bus market outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding the provision of individual bus services is a matter for individual operators, or for individual local authorities in the case of services they support. It is for them to decide how to consult with passengers prior to making any changes. Best practice advice is available in the Transport Focus publication “Bus service reviews: consulting on changes to local services - A best practice toolkit".