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LGA responds to campaign for better transport report about bus funding
Cllr Martin Tett, LGA Transport spokesman, says councils have long called for more freedom to improve services and it is vital that, with the Bus Services Bill currently going through Parliament, government recognises this.
"Councils know how important buses are for their communities and local economies and are desperate to protect them. However, councils suffered a 40 per cent reduction in core funding over the previous Parliament and are continuing to experience funding pressures. Local government faces a challenging overall funding gap of £5.8 billion by 2019/20.
"Councils have long called for more freedom to improve services and it is vital that, with the Bus Services Bill currently going through Parliament, government recognises this.
"It is also crucial the concessionary fares scheme, which provides a lifeline for our most vulnerable residents, is fully funded to ease the pressure on stretched council budgets and protect cherished bus services.
"Years of underfunding of the concessionary fares scheme have forced councils to spend millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to subsidise it, jeopardising councils' ability to support vital routes as they make savings while struggling to protect vital services like adult social care, protecting children, filling potholes and collecting bins.
"It is also essential that the Bus Service Operators' Grant – a fuel duty rebate paid directly to bus operators by the Government – should also be handed to councils."
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