123414 Apr 2026

Decisions made by LTAs often struggle to align with national priorities such as the "levelling up" agenda and economic growth due to disparate calls on available budgets. 4. Strategic Recommendations

This report examines the current state of bus service provision, focusing on the emergence of "transport deserts" in rural areas and the need for strategic government intervention. It highlights the misalignment between local transport authority (LTA) budgets and the growing need for sustainable, reliable public transport to meet net-zero targets. 123414

Without a clear direction from the Government and dedicated funding to support sustainable transport, the gap between commercial availability and community needs will continue to widen. Prioritizing public transport is essential for delivering on net-zero and economic growth targets. Written evidence - Committees - UK Parliament Decisions made by LTAs often struggle to align

The Government should develop Strategic Transport Objectives that focus on sustainable transport (active travel and public transport) to provide LTAs with a clear mandate. Written evidence - Committees - UK Parliament The

The objective of this report is to analyze the challenges facing commercial and subsidized bus services. As identified in the Written Evidence (123414), current legislation does not mandate the provision of services to fill gaps in commercial provision, leading to significant regional disparities.