Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2022 to Question 83689 on Bus Services: Franchises, if he will make it his policy to launch a public consultation on the update to the bus franchising guidance.

My department has already worked with or consulted local authorities developing a franchising assessment, as well as other stakeholders, to update the existing franchising guidance.

The revised guidance seeks to simplify and provide further clarity to the overall process.