Suffolk secures £9 million slice of major funding to boost bus services across East of England
The Government is delivering £81 million funding to support bus services into 2026, with Suffolk receiving nearly £9 million to protect services across the county.
The allocation of funds was confirmed by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Suffolk County Council is set to receive £8,774,816 to improve buses for passengers, enhance routes, protect rural services and increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting.
Every region in England will benefit from the funding as the £81 million forms part of larger £1 billion investment — but those areas which have been historically underserved are being particularly prioritised.
Ms Haigh said: “The value of regular and reliable bus services cannot be understated.
“For far too long, the East of England has been suffering from unreliable services with buses hugely delayed, or not even turning up at all.
“This funding kickstarts the bus revolution to bring an end to the postcode lottery of bus services, drive economic growth and make sure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities.
“We’ve already committed over £150 million to extend the bus fare cap and keep fares low and this nearly £1 billion of further funding will mean local routes are protected, reliability is improved and the passenger is put first.”
The Buses Bill, set to be introduced this parliamentary session, will grant local leaders across England greater authority to shape bus services to meet community needs.
This legislation will enable local authorities to create modern, integrated bus networks that prioritise passengers as the Government aim to deliver ‘London-style bus services’ to every corner of the country.
In addition to the £955 million funding, £150 million has been allocated to extend the bus fare cap, helping ease living costs and making everyday travel more affordable.
The cap, now extended until December 31, 2025, keeps fares at a flat rate of £3 to offer savings of up to 80 per cent on certain routes.
This comes on top of the £200 million CRSTS funding announced in the Autumn Budget which is aimed at enhancing local transport in city regions to boost growth and productivity nationwide.
