The Deputy Minister with responsibility for transport said the
funding would be provided through a new ‘Bus Network Grant’.
The grant will be made available to local authorities to secure
services once the Welsh Government’s Bus
Transition Fund comes to an end on Sunday, March 31.
The new Bus Network Grant will begin on April 1 and run for 12
months.
Local authorities will be required to meet specific conditions to
receive funding.
These include ensuring routes and timetables support improved
journey times, deliver opportunities for greater connectivity
where possible, and provide improved information about the
times of bus services.
Deputy Minister said:
“The Bus Network Grant will bring stability to the industry as
well as increased public control of bus services.
“It will also act as a bridge from the emergency funding that has
been provided towards bus franchising.
“It will include specific conditions that will encourage improved
regional co-ordination of bus services; network ticketing and the
need to ensure accurate and up to date information about the bus
services provided.”
For the last three years, the Welsh Government has been working
on plans to reform the way buses in Wales are run.
Last week it published details in a road map of bus reform
and, later this year, a Bus Bill will be introduced in the
Senedd.
Lee Robinson, Transport for Wales’ Executive Director for
Regional Transport and Integration said:
“Bus franchising will bring an end to a disjointed system, where
it's up to private companies to decide which routes to run, and
instead, councils and the Welsh Government work in partnership to
agree local and regional bus networks that serve the needs of
communities.
“It will also enable Transport for Wales to tie in bus routes
with train timetables, to create an integrated public transport
system and a single ticket which can be used for both.”
Today, the Welsh Government also published the Learner Travel
Recommendations Report 2023.
The report sets out a series of recommendations to help improve
the consistency, quality and safety of learner travel provision
across Wales.
The report recommends a comprehensive update to the statutory
guidance documents which outlines the roles and responsibilities
of all those involved in learner travel and is available online
here.
Deputy Minister added:
“The cost of running existing school buses is around £160 million
a year and has significantly increased – it now accounts for
about a quarter of non-delegated spending on schools by councils.
“Making free travel available to more pupils would obviously add
to that bill considerably at a time when the overall Welsh
Government budget has faced cuts of £1.2 billion.
“We see school transport as fundamental to our plans to bring
buses back under public control, linking school transport and
scheduled services and supporting investment in modern buses that
are accessible for all.
“By working together, we believe that we can foster a socially,
environmentally and sustainable culture of responsible travel to
school.”
