Transport Insights

Ministers have announced what they are branding a “3bn boost for buses” but, as is happening increasingly often these days, it’s a continuation of existing funding – and possibly a cut – dressed up as new money.

The good news is that:

Multi-year funding gives local authorities the funds they need to provide passengers with lower fares, more frequent and reliable services and safer journeys.

Basically, the Department for Transport (DfT) has consolidated a number of existing funding streams such as Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP) cash and Local Authority Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) into capital and revenue Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG).

It looks as if the funding for the £3 bus fare cap (which is short-term) is separate and, in the short term, it looks like revenue funding is lower next year than this.

Cash for zero emission buses is also (I think) separate.

But with funding going through city regions, it’s often hard to work this out.

The DfT also seems to be doing quite a lot of rounding up: to get to £3bn

Almost £700 million of funding will be allocated to local authorities every single year up to 2028 to 2029 and can be spent however they want.

It’s worth remembering that Boris Johnson also promised a “£3 billion bus revolution” back in the days when £3bn was a lot of money.