- The Conservative Government have invested a further £80 million to protect essential bus services and allow local authorities to make travel improvements in their communities.
- The funding will support 64 local authorities including Hertfordshire County Council with £1,488,381 of funding, building on the £80 million of Bus Services Improvement Plan+ (BSIP+) funding for 2022-23 and the £1 billion investment for bus services in 2022.
- The Conservative Government have invested £3.5 billion in bus services since 2020, protecting and improving bus travel and helping people save money on public transport.
Bim Afolami MP welcomes Conservative Government investment of £1,488,381 in bus services across Hertfordshire County Council, supporting passengers across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages.
Today’s funding means people across Hertfordshire have benefitted from a total of £32,708,862 funding from the Conservative Government to support bus services since 2022.
The investment comes from the £80 million Bus Services Improvement Plan 2024-25 fund, of which there have been three rounds – building on the £80 million invested in 2023-24 and £1 billion invested in 2022.
It comes on top of a further £140 million announced in May from the extension of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), taking the total to continue supporting and protecting bus services across England to £300 million into 2025.
To help people with the cost of living and save on everyday travel costs, the Conservative Government have also invested £200 million to extend the bus fare cap, with single bus tickets capped at £2 outside London until the end of October 2023 and then at £2.50 until 30 November 2024.
The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas, where buses are crucial for so many people to get around, with the average fare dropping by 10.8 per cent in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England.
The measures take total Conservative Government support to protect and improve bus services while keeping fares low to £3.5 billion since 2020.
Commenting, Bim Afolami MP said:
“Many people rely on bus services across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages, to get to work or to see family and friends. I know that there are a number of services across our constituency that people rely on which are under-serving our communities at the moment.
“That is why it is good news that the Conservative Government – having already invested £3.5 billion in bus services since 2020 – have announced this new funding of nearly £1.5m for Hertfordshire County Council to improve our bus services. This will have a huge impact for our constituency – particularly in helping to protect essential services under pressure in our villages and rural areas.
“This funding will also help to enhance transport connections, supporting people to get where they need to go with public transport they can rely on.”
Commenting, Roads Minister Richard Holden MP said:
“Buses are the most popular form of public transport and millions of people across the country from the Tees Valley to Torbay rely on their local service to get to work, attend medical appointments and see loved ones.
“We are providing a further £80 million to help local authorities improve and protect essential services, delivering for local communities across the country by enhancing transport connections, supporting passengers and growing the economy.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The Conservative Government are investing a further £80 million through the Bus Service Improvement Plan, helping to improve bus services. The third round of the Bus Service Improvement Plan invests £80 million to 64 local authorities for 2024-25. This funding builds on the £80 million through the fund for 2023-24 and £1 billion for 2022 (DfT, News Story, 28 September 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government have invested £3.5 billion in protecting and improving local bus services since 2020, increasing reliability for passengers. Today’s Bus Service Improvement Plan investment is part of a £3.5 billion investment in bus services since 2020, keeping fares low and helping increase the reliability of bus services across the country (DfT, News Story, 28 September 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government have invested £200 million to extend the £2 bus fare cap, helping passengers with the cost of living. The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas. The cap has been backed by £200 million to extend until the end of October and then at £2.50 until November 2024, helping passengers with the cost of living (DfT, News Story, 28 September 2023, link).
