Responding to a National Audit Office report on improving local
bus services in England (outside London), Cllr David Renard,
Local Government Association transport spokesperson, said:
“We support the NAO’s call for the Government to set out a clear,
long-term vision for the future of bus travel.
“Passenger numbers and services have been on a declining trend
for some time. Now COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on both
current services and the future viability of the current model of
funding and delivery of buses outside London.
“We need a complete reset as to how we provide bus services in
future, which includes the level of investment and subsidy
required to meet the country’s net-zero commitment and the
Government’s ambition to make public transport and active travel
the natural first choice for daily activities.
“Bus services have a critical role to play in the national
recovery from COVID-19 and beyond, through supporting local
economies, tackling poor air quality and congestion and reaching
the country’s net-zero carbon targets by 2050.
“As part of a new strategy for bus travel, the Spending Review
should back the Government’s ambition for buses and give councils
oversight of local bus services, who are best placed with their
local knowledge to define and commission public transport
networks.”
