Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support bus providers that may be unable to offer full services after the cessation of the Bus Recovery Grant in April 2022.
We have provided unprecedented support for local transport during the pandemic. For bus, operators and local authorities have received funding through the £1.5bn Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant, and the ongoing £226.5m Bus Recovery Grant.
We recognise the ongoing challenges faced by operators and Local Transport Authorities and discussions on how best to support them are underway.
To assist in the short term, the Department is making available an additional £29m in recovery funding this financial year, on top of the previously announced £226.5m. This will be provided through the Bus Recovery Grant in the form of an uplift to recipients, including operators and LTAs. This will assist the sector in maintaining high service levels.