Annual statistics released today by the Department for Transport show that bus mileage on local authority supported services in England outside London dropped by 12.3 per cent this year.

The number of bus passenger journeys in England also fell by 119 million over the same period.According to the Campaign for Better Transport, in total £22.2 million was cut from supported bus funding in England in 2015-16. Since 2010-11 a total of £73.8 million has been cut from supported bus services in England, a reduction of 25 per cent.

Daniel Zeichner MP, Labour’s Shadow Local Transport Minister, said:

“This news underlines the huge impact Tory cuts have had on local bus services.

“Buses are used more often by those from low income backgrounds, and services supported by local authorities are often socially necessary. They serve those in more isolated areas, connecting them to jobs, schools and the community.

“The Government needs to form a long-term, logical strategy for bus funding. How woefully ironic that they have kept the bus pass, but axed the bus.”