Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to issue guidance to local transport authorities on the minimum standards for (a) format, (b) legibility and (c) frequency of updates for printed passenger information at bus stops.

The Government knows how important it is that passengers have access to high quality and reliable information about their local bus services, including at bus stops. Local authorities are responsible for the bus stops in their area. The Department for Transport’s guidance to local transport authorities and bus operators on developing Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) makes clear that bus stops should show up-to-date and accurate information about the services stopping there, and that BSIPs should set out the action that will be taken to provide good quality bus information to passengers.

At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government confirmed over £1 billion to support and improve bus services, including £712 million allocated to local authorities in England outside London in 2025/26. Central Bedfordshire Council have been allocated £3 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including improving the information available to passengers about local bus services.