Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Urban Mobility Partnership entitled Community Bus Partnerships: A proposition to deliver improved local bus services, published on 20 May 2025.

The government’s reforms to bus services are designed to empower local authorities to improve services to better meet the needs of their communities. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill last year, which will increase the powers available to local leaders to choose the bus services model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships with private operators or setting up new local authority bus companies. In parallel, the government is reviewing Enhanced Partnerships, looking at where it can strengthen these to help local areas deliver better services for passengers.