£47m funding has been allocated to improving bus services across the East
We’re delighted to see the Department for Transport’s latest funding allocations for council’s Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP) for 2025/26. Each authority is set to receive:
Essex – £16,616,289
Norfolk – £14,859,945
Suffolk – £8,159,881
Southend-on-Sea – £2,541,467
Thurrock – £1,909,202
Local authorities in the East will also receive an additional £2.9m in Bus Services Operators Grant to support services that might otherwise be unprofitable and at risk of withdrawal.
Responding to the government’s announcement, our Chair, Will Quince said:
“This £47m of funding for next year will allow the East’s local authorities to step up the delivery of their ambitious bus improvements across the region. Plans include support for essential routes, improvements to bus stops and increasing the reliability, frequency and hours bus services run. The Secretary of State for Transport has also acknowledged that rural communities are particularly vulnerable to poor bus provision. We especially welcome this focus as it is an area Transport East’s Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence has been advocating for.
“Buses are the most accessible public transport option, vital for connecting people to work, education, healthcare, and leisure in a sustainable way. They particularly benefit older and younger people and those with no private transport, and support both urban and rural areas by reducing traffic and improving air quality. We know that when buses are reliable and affordable more people use them, increasing their positive impact.”