They're used by millions of people across the country every day and are described by Boris Johnson as being key to his 'levelling up' vision to spread opportunity around the country.
But in the Liverpool City Region and around the North of England, local bus services face an uncertain future amid declining passenger numbers, a driver shortage and fears the industry could fall off a financial cliff.
Transport bosses across the country fear vital bus routes could be cut when emergency Covid funding runs out at the end of March, with operators facing a drop in revenue as passenger numbers are yet to return to their pre-pandemic levels.
That's why The Northern Agenda political newsletter is carrying out a survey into the state of bus services on Merseyside and further afield. We're building up a picture of how often people use local buses, what might tempt them back and whether they believe fundamental reform is needed to the system.
Have your say in The Northern Agenda's Big Bus Survey:
With 82% of public transport journeys in the region taken by bus, investing in improved services is a vital part of Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram’s pledge to deliver an integrated London-style transport system for the Liverpool City Region that makes public transport cheaper, quicker and more reliable.
This week Mr Rotheram joined with other Labour metro mayors in warning that failing to continue subsiding services risked causing lasting damage to communities still recovering from the pandemic.
Although starting to improve, passenger numbers are still only a fraction of pre-Covid levels, while staff absence and a general shortage of drivers nationwide are also affecting services.
Bus operators and transport operators have received hundreds of millions of pounds from the Government in emergency support since the pandemic began. But that funding expires in April, and transport leaders say there is 'uncertainty' over whether future cash will be made available.
Potentially most at risk are those services which, because bus operators cannot make a profit on them, are subsidised by by the public purse. They often serve routes through isolated communities, hospitals, or run outside peak hours.
Transport bosses already have to make difficult decisions throughout the year on which services they can afford to subsidise, but the loss of emergency funding could place many more in jeopardy.
Last year the Prime Minister announced that £3bn would be spent on “new funding to level up buses across England towards London standards” as part of the government’s “bus back better” strategy.
He said: “I love buses and I have never quite understood why so few governments before mine have felt the same way,” adding that “better buses will be one of our major acts of levelling up”.
But it has since emerged that the budget for the “transformation” of buses – a pot from which local regions can bid for funds – has now shrunk to just £1.4bn for the next three years.
Figures compiled by the shadow buses minister Sam Tarry’s office for The Observer show the amount of funding bids submitted by 53 out of 79 local transport authorities from the extra funding pot is already more than £7bn. This suggests the total is likely to exceed £9bn, against a total available of £1.4bn.
