Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Buses Bill would make local authority trade companies eligible to bid for bus franchises.

As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this session. This will put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, ensuring networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The Bill will increase powers available to local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, high-quality partnerships with private operators or local authority ownership. The Department is currently working to finalise the exact scope of the Buses Bill.