Local bus services in England still declining despite investment – report

<p>National Audit Office questions viability of many routes, with half of all operator income from public subsidy</p><p>Local bus services in England have continued to decline despite attempts by successive governments to bolster investment in services, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report.</p><p>The spending watchdog found that efforts to revive routes and attract more passengers had so far failed, with a 15% fall in the total miles operated by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/07/almost-a-fifth-of-england-rural-bus-services-disappeared-in-last-five-years">buses outside London</a> since 2019 and passenger numbers still 9% below pre-Covid levels.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/27/local-bus-services-england-national-audit-office-report">Continue reading...</a>