Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 8 of the Bus Services Bill Impact Assessments, how much public money has been spent on incentivising bus operators to share real-time punctuality data with local authorities through an uplift to the Bus Service Operators Grant.

Since 2010 operators have been able to apply for a 2% increase in Bus Service Operators’ Grant where automatic vehicle location equipment is fitted and operating. As a condition of receiving the incentive, the operator must provide data on request, to the Department and local authorities. This data sharing has enabled local authorities to provide real-time information to passengers and to identify jointly with operators actions that can be taken to improve the punctuality of bus services. Between 2010/11 and 2015/16 the Department has paid £19,902,803 under the incentive.