Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional support he plans to provide to bus companies during the covid-19 outbreak.

During the pandemic, the Government provided an unprecedented level of financial support to the bus sector. Through the Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant (CBSSG), over £1.4bn in revenue support was provided to operators and Local Transport Authorities between March 2020 and August 2021. This ensured services remained available for those who needed them.

Following the lifting of restrictions, passengers are returning, however they are currently at below pre-pandemic levels. Operators will therefore face financial pressures if they maintain services without support. That is why the Government has announced an additional £226.5m in funding through the Bus Recovery Grant (BRG). This scheme will fund operators and Local Transport Authorities to run up to 100% of pre-Covid services and will be available until April 2022.