Buses are the most popular form of public transport in our country. They are an essential part of the national transport system, in both urban and rural areas.

The government has announced £150 million new funding for local transport authorities in the North and the Midlands over the next financial year. This is the first tranche of £1 billion in new funding to improve bus services: £770 million for the North and nearly £230 million for the Midlands.

The £150 million committed is from redirected HS2 funding, part of the new £36 billion Network North plan which will improve the daily transport connections.

This funding will be given directly to local authorities, so that they can work in partnership with bus operators to decide how best to use it to deliver better services that meet the needs of each local area. This new funding can be used to reintroduce evening services to support the night-time economy, cheaper fares through ticket price caps, increase service frequency (meaning less waiting time for passengers), or introduce new routes to connect previously unconnected areas.

See: Funding boost of £150 million for local bus services – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)