Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help maintain local bus services; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has provided nearly £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding since March 2020 to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on bus services. On 19 August the Government announced a further £130 million, six-month extension to the Bus Recovery Grant to continue to support services until March 2023. Department for Transport Ministers made a written statement to Parliament on this issue on 5 September.

The Department is considering what additional support may be required from April 2023.

The Government also provides support to the sector through the Bus Service Operators Grant every year. Around £200 million is provided annually to bus operators to help them maintain an extensive network and keep fares down, and a further £42 million is provided to Local Transport Authorities every year to subsidise socially necessary bus services