Long-term bus funding and commitment to revenue investment for transport projects are the two key asks of government made by the Urban Transport Group (UTG) in its Budget submission.
Ahead of the fiscal announcement on 26 November, UTG is pleading with the Treasury to “maintain the momentum” created by the government’s £15.6 billion funding for local transport projects in June’s Spending Review.
While appreciating the £1 billion in bus funding confirmed in last year’s Budget, UTG urges the Treasury, in its first recommendation, to “commit to long-term revenue funding certainty for bus that recognises the ambition and commitment of local areas to protect and enhance bus networks”.
Further, the organisation’s report highlights the “central role” played by buses in keeping the country and the economy moving.
Bus is also covered in UTG’s second recommendation: “Commit to sufficient revenue funding to support capacity; planning and delivery of capital projects; and the ongoing success and maintenance of those projects, enabling maximum returns on investment. ”
Revenue funding is vital for bus franchising, Enhanced Partnerships, and network redesigns, points out UTG. It adds that local authorities are set to play a more significant role in funding bus projects.
Rebecca Fuller, Assistant Director of the Urban Transport Group, says: “City regions are at the forefront of delivering game-changing new transport schemes and services.
“These include bringing light rail systems in-house, like in South Yorkshire, getting ready for spades in the ground on mass transit schemes, as in West Yorkshire, and progressing plans to franchise bus services across a number of English cities.
“Government must now match the bold capital funding announced at the Spending Review with ongoing revenue funding.
“This would allow our members to realise their ambitions on bus and flagship capital transport projects, as well as enable government’s own aspirations for bus through the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill.”
