Transport Committee report on bus services: CCN response

Today the Transport Committee has released a new report, Buses Connecting Communities, which includes a reference to the County Councils Network's recent research on rural bus services.

Below, the network responds to the committee's report.

Cllr Peter Thornton, Transport Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Earlier this summer the County Councils Network revealed that one fifth of bus routes have been lost over the last five years in county and rural areas, the largest decrease in England and in an era whereby successive governments have pledged a revival in local routes and services.

“For county and rural areas, these routes are not only a lifeline service for many residents of villages and small towns but also vital in improving social mobility for young people.

“Our research found that a greater proportion of funds had gone to urban areas as opposed to rural counties, including places where services are more frequent and modern. Therefore, we support the Transport Committee’s calls for greater investment into the areas that require it the most, including a rural weighting. This will be especially true of the government’s plan to ask councils to identify ‘socially necessary’ routes – only a fairer and larger proportion of money will allow county and unitary councils to genuinely protect routes.”

You can read the CCN's June 2025 research here. It found that despite successive governments pledging a revival in local bus services in recent years, one fifth of rural and county routes have vanished. Over this period, county and rural councils have received £31 per person, compared to £58 per person for councils or combined authorities which cover England’s large cities and towns.