Speeches by Lightwood.

“This goes back to the bus service improvement plans, as well. That is the mechanism in which they identify future changes and improvements in their bus network, whereas the socially necessary bit is more about how we protect, and make sure that there are processes, when it comes to designation.”

“I think that the provisions in the Bill mandate them to identify socially necessary bus services. They have to do that as part of an enhanced partnership.”

“I take that point, but this is why we have bus service improvement plans. That is fundamentally what it is about. You are asked to consider, as part of that, your aspirations, and as part of that you would look at gaps in service. I would expect that. I am sure that, in guidance, it says you need to take consideration …”

“I don’t know if it does. That is part of the accepted challenge for local transport authorities. They want to deliver the best service possible for their areas. Those criteria could be used, but it is about protections, and reassurance to passengers on existing services. It is the trust issue again—that every possible …”

“This goes back to the conversation and the work that is going to have to take place in each of those enhanced partnerships, and possibly franchising, about the kinds of bus services the local communities want, and the Government then empowering those local communities with the tools and funding to achieve those objecti…”

“We will look at guidance to local transport authorities about what they may want to include in that. It is up to local areas, again, to set what they think is socially necessary in their specific communities, rather than having us tell them what we think it should be. It will be different in different areas; there will…”

“Again, the word “you” is the issue. What do local areas want to see from that? It is about empowering them to do that. I guess what I would like, as I said earlier, would be for passengers to be at the centre of that thinking, with a full exploration of the benefit that the services provide to a community, and for pass…”

“It is crucial to say that that is an interim formula. We will continue to work with local transport authorities and operators to hone that approach. How best do we share that funding across the country, to deliver the results that we need to see, bearing in mind the challenges faced by certain communities?”

“You have already seen in the changes that we have made in our approach to the bus grant, which consolidated BSIP and BSOG funding, that because it is done on a formula basis, all local transport authorities, including those in more rural and suburban areas, have received funding, sometimes for the first time in a long …”

“I am going to gracefully look at my colleague, who has been very close to the enhanced partnership review.”

“Certainly, I take your point. In the bus Bill there are socially necessary bus services. The same kind of consideration is undertaken when a local transport authority is considering the move to franchising. They need to clearly demonstrate the benefit to the community. I am minded to look again at whether the socially …”

“The grant point is important. Local areas need to set grant conditions to incentivise the behaviours and changes that they want to see in their local area, which will be different across different geographies and areas of the country. Again, it is about another way of empowering them to shape and take control of their …”

“First and foremost, it is important to say that enhanced partnerships are hugely valuable in delivering better bus services. We have seen some great partnership there. They are a statutory partnership and certainly not just a piece of paper. If an operator in that partnership fails to comply with the local transport au…”

“Absolutely. I think that increases the transparency. We are designing that database now. It will go out to tender and be in place in due course. I do not think this is going to add more burden on to anybody. The data is already commonly collected. As you say, often GPS data is collected already, and it is about putting…”

“Yes.”

“What we need to do now is to put it in one single place. If you make it available, for instance, to Google Maps or Apple Maps, it is open for all of those issues.”

“No, not at all. Local transport authorities already have legal powers to request that data when they are considering franchising. That already exists. Operators are required by law to provide that data when authorities are considering that. Going beyond that now, in the bus services Bill, there are elements about data …”

“Yes.”

“This is why we are doing the pilots. What is often quoted when it comes to the Manchester model is that there is something like £700 million to £1 billion. Our analysis is around £135 million. That took them a long time. It was complicated. They were the trailblazer, and good for them. They have shown what is possible.…”

“We have invested something like £1 billion in buses just in 2025-26, and £700 million is going directly to local authorities to spend on whatever they see fit in terms of improving buses for passengers. In addition, we have a whole support package around how we support local authorities on enhanced partnerships and ide…”