Endangered rural bus services in England have dwindled to a new low after losing out on funding after the pandemic, analysis for councils has shown.
More than a quarter of routes in county and rural areas of the country have been lost in the past decade, with passenger numbers falling sharply.
Local authority leaders have urged the government to revisit the funding it made available after Covid, claiming that the bulk of the £1.1bn eventually awarded under the national bus strategy went to cities and urban areas.
A report commissioned by the County Councils Network found that urban areas were allocated two-thirds of the funding to improve bus services, despite rural routes declining faster.
The 37 largest county and rural authorities, representing almost half of England’s population, received only 10% – £363m – of the bus service improvement plan funding they had bid for, with urban areas receiving £739m.
It is the latest in a series of calls by transport authorities and campaigners to the government to give sustained funding for buses. Operators have threatened to drop more routes, with many cash-strapped councils withdrawing subsidy that had sustained unprofitable but necessary services.
Councils said further investment was needed to make buses more punctual, greener and reliable in county areas, and urged the government to make the £2 fare cap a permanent fixture.
Between 2010 and 2022, vehicle miles in rural council areas dropped by 26.5%, with the decline accelerating during the pandemic. There were 44% fewer passenger journeys last year in rural or county areas than in 2010, down from 780m to 435m a year.
The report calls on the government to launch a further round of funding for improvement plans and set out clear criteria on how allocations are decided.
Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, the transport spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said: “Buses have long been a lifeline for many people in rural areas, particularly the elderly and the disadvantaged. But too many services are at best, patchy, and at worst, non-existent. The pandemic has accelerated the trend of declining usage and journey are now at a historic low.”
He said councils had had “high hopes” for the government’s national bus strategy but many felt let down.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said the councils’ report focused “on just one part of the £3.5bn we’ve put into buses since March 2020”. They added: “Our new bus service improvement plan plus funding will be focused on areas that didn’t receive support under the original scheme.”
The report came as the passenger watchdog unveiled research showing that more than a third of older and disabled concessionary bus pass holders were using buses less since the pandemic.
According to 2,500 users surveyed by Transport Focus, the cost of living crisis and high street closures as well as lingering fear of Covid are factors for some, but more cited cuts to routes and less reliable services.
David Sidebottom, a Transport Focus director, said older and disabled people had spoken of feeling trapped and isolated as services were cut. “However, our research also indicated that where improvements to bus services have been made, passengers have noticed and started using buses more,” he added.
