Herts and Essex county councils to get £30m Government funding to boost bus services
Hertfordshire and Essex county councils will receive £30 million between them as part of a £955m Government package to support, improve and protect bus services across England.
The Government says the action is aimed at ending the bus postcode lottery, empowering councils to take back control of services and delivering the ‘bus revolution’.
Under the allocations confirmed on Monday (November 18) by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, Herts will receive £12,226,982 while Essex will receive £17,802,280 in “fair funding” to ensure better services into 2026.
The Government says Essex is among areas receiving funding at a level that is unprecedented in recent years. Every region in England will benefit, but those areas which have been historically underserved are being particularly prioritised.
The Transport Secretary said: “The value of regular and reliable bus services cannot be understated. For far too long, the East of England has been suffering from unreliable services with buses hugely delayed or not even turning up at all.
“This funding kickstarts the bus revolution to bring an end to the postcode lottery of bus services, drive economic growth and make sure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities.
“We’ve already committed over £150 million to extend the bus fare cap and keep fares low, and this near £1 billion of further funding will mean local routes are protected, reliability is improved and the passenger is put first.”
A spokesman for the Department for Transport (DfT) said: “The funding settlement will mean many more urban areas will be able to maintain their high levels of service while other areas will be able to offer more services.
“It represents a record level of recent investment for bus improvements for the majority of areas, alongside once-in-a-generation reform to deliver London-style bus services to every corner of the country.
“The investment has been designated to enhance popular routes, protect rural services and increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting.
“It will prevent service reductions on at-risk routes and improve punctuality, to bring an end to the current postcode lottery of unreliable services.”
He added: “In recent years, services have consistently suffered from complicated and inconsistent funding which have ultimately impacted the passenger. Today’s reformed funding settlement marks a departure from that approach with a simplified commitment from the Government, giving bus providers the certainty they have long been calling for.
“As part of this investment, the way funding is allocated has been reformed, meaning it will be allocated based on place need, levels of deprivation and population. This will stop areas competing for funding as in previous years, which in turn wastes resources and delays decisions.”
The Government claims the investment will ensure that lifeline services between towns and hospitals can continue transporting patients to vital appointments, supporting the Government’s ambitions to reform the NHS.
Buses remain the most relied on form of public transport and the Government says it is “turning the tide on decades of failed deregulation”.
The Buses Bill will be introduced in this parliamentary session, giving local leaders greater control to deliver services in a way that suits the needs of their communities.
Local authorities will be empowered to deliver modern and integrated bus networks that put passengers at the heart of local decision-making.
To help people with the cost of living and everyday travel costs, the Government has already committed £150m to extend the bus fare cap until the end of 2025, ensuring that the flat rate for journeys remains at £3 –up from £2 under the previous Government – enabling savings of up to 80% on some routes.
