Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure bus stops have up-to-date timetable information in rural areas.

The Government recognises the vital role that high-quality bus stop provision plays in supporting and encouraging people to use local bus services. The local authority is ultimately responsible for all elements of the bus network including the provision of timetables, and can issue physical timetables at bus stops on a discretionary basis. Enhanced Partnership guidance requires EP schemes to include arrangements for multi-operator passenger information and encourages local authorities to provide real-time information at bus stops.

To ensure passengers have access to up-to-date information, the Bus Open Data Service requires operators to publish timetable, fares and real-time vehicle location data. This enables passengers to plan journeys and access accurate, live service information through apps, online platforms and, where available, at-stop displays.

The Government has also confirmed multi-year allocations through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year from 2026/27-28/29. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including investing in bus stops in rural areas to ensure the provision of accurate timetable information.