£148m government funding to boost North West bus services

The Government will deliver £148m of funding to ensure better bus services across the North West.

The allocations, running into 2026, were confirmed today (November 18) by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh. Areas like Liverpool City Region, Blackburn with Darwen, and Lancashire are among those receiving funding to improve buses for passengers at a level that is unprecedented in recent years, the Government says.

Every region in England will benefit from the funding, but those areas which have been historically underserved are being particularly prioritised.

The funding settlement will mean many more urban areas will be able to maintain their high levels of service, while other areas will be able to offer more services. It represents a record level of recent investment for bus improvements for the majority of areas, alongside once-in-a-generation reform to deliver London-style bus services to every corner of the country.

The investment has been designated to enhance popular routes, protect rural services and increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting. It will prevent service reductions on at-risk routes and improve punctuality across England, to bring an end to the current postcode lottery of unreliable services.

The Government said services have consistently suffered from complicated and inconsistent funding, in recent years, which have ultimately impacted the passenger.

As part of this investment, the way funding is allocated has been reformed, meaning it will be allocated based on place need, levels of deprivation and population. This will stop areas competing for funding as in previous years, which, in turn, wastes resources and delays decisions.

Louise Haigh said:  “The value of regular and reliable bus services cannot be understated. For far too long, the North West 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.”

She added: “We’ve already committed over £150m to extend the bus fare cap and keep fares low and this nearly £1bn of further funding will mean local routes are protected, reliability is improved and the passenger is put first.” 

The Buses Bill will be introduced in this Parliamentary session and will give local leaders across England greater control to deliver bus services in a way that suits the needs of their communities. Local authorities will be empowered to deliver modern and integrated bus networks that put passengers at the heart of local decision making.

Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region mayors, Andy Burnham, and Steve Rotheram, have pledged to create ‘London-style’ bus services across their regions.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “In Greater Manchester we’re pioneering a new approach to delivering bus services after decades of deregulation. We’re on the cusp of taking back control of all our buses in January, becoming the first region outside London to do so in almost 40 years.

“Our aim is to deliver more frequent, reliable buses, with cheaper and simpler fares, to better connect residents to more education, job and leisure opportunities than they’ve had before. The Bee Network is how we’re doing that – a low cost, high patronage public transport system that gets more people on board.”

He added: “For too long, the role that better buses play in delivering growth was undervalued and overlooked. Now, we’re showing how creating the London-style system in Greater Manchester can unlock both economic growth and social mobility. The Government’s belief in our approach and support is crucial, and we welcome this funding that will help us on the next step or our Bee Network journey.”

Total funding for 2025/26 includes: Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council – £5,170,149; Blackpool Council – £4,288,023; Cheshire East Council – £5,444,474; Cheshire West and Chester Council – £5,782,022; Cumberland Council – £5,310,742; Greater Manchester Combined Authority – £66,393,752; Lancashire County Council – £27,140,451; Liverpool City Region Combined Authority – £20,850,110; Warrington Borough Council – £3,823,808; Westmorland and Furness Council – £4,266,798.