The UK Department for Transport discloses the bus funding allocations for the years 2025 and 2026
The UK government has announced an additional £1bn funding for better bus services in the North and Midlands, as part of its commitment to make buses more frequent, reliable, and easier to use. This funding, announced in October 2023, is a continuation and expansion of the improvements started by the £1.2bn for Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) announced in 2022 and 2023.
In the financial year 2025/2026, the UK Department for Transport (DfT) has allocated a total of £735,876,464 for bus operations. Local Transport Authorities (LTA) across the UK will receive a significant portion of this funding, with £670m allocated for LTA's to deliver their BSIPs across the country.
The DfT has also set aside £7m for LTA's to help keep bus fares down. Additionally, the Local Authority Bus Service Operators Grant will provide £35m to LTA's. The West Midlands Combined Authority will receive £11m, while Greater Manchester will receive an additional £13m in devolved BSOG. The North East transport region will also receive additional financial support of over £13 million.
However, the article does not provide details about how the funds will be distributed among individual LTA's or bus routes, nor does it mention any specific goals or objectives for the Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP).
The funding is expected to contribute to the overall improvement of the UK's bus transportation system, but the article does not provide any information about the impact of the funding on the system as a whole.
On a separate note, the fourth annual CiTTi Awards will be held on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London to recognise achievements and innovations in transport planning. For more information about the CiTTi Awards, visit www.cittiawards.co.uk.
While the focus of this funding is on bus services, it is unclear whether any funds have been allocated for autonomous HGV trials.
