Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of exempting electric bus operators from Ofgem’s residual network charge reforms in 2023 on those operators.

My department continues to support bus decarbonisation, and to engage closely with both Ofgem and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Ofgem is aware that the reforms are causing concerns for a small number of specialist sites, and are active in industry working groups relating to sites with high-capacity usage and low utilisation and EV charging. In addition, Ofgem is currently undertaking a broad review of system costs to consider whether other cost recovery options provide potential for improvements. Across this work, Ofgem will ensure bus charging is given consideration.