Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many expressions of interest in bus franchising his Department has received from local authorities since the Bus Services Act 2017 came into force.

The Bus Services Act 2017 automatically gives Mayoral Combined Authorities the powers they need to franchise buses. It also allows the Secretary of State to grant these powers to other groups of local authorities by means of a statutory instrument and consent to a specific scheme.

My officials are currently assisting interested local authorities and Mayoral Combined Authorities to determine which of the powers provided in the Bus Services Act 2017 are best able to support bus networks in their areas.