Research and analysis

Bus services: local transport authority capacity and capability

Research on the capacity and capability of local transport authorities in England concerning bus service planning and provision.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 19 December 2023

Applies to England

Documents

National bus strategy: capacity and capability

PDF, 362 KB, 41 pages

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Details

This capacity and capability research of local transport authorities (LTAs) in England about bus service planning and provision has been conducted as required by the Bus Back Better strategy. The strategy, published in 2021, places a large emphasis on the role of LTAs in planning and providing local bus services alongside bus operators.

The research provides insight into:

• the types of LTAs and bus teams that are generally better-resourced
• the institutional and structural barriers that LTAs face
• suggestions for how LTAs could be supported regarding their capacity and capability

The research draws on interviews with one-third of England’s LTAs and supplementary focus groups.

This research helped to inform the department’s initiatives to support LTA capacity and capability on buses, which included funding for LTAs to recruit Enhanced Partnership Officers and establish a Bus Centre of Excellence.

Other research was completed on the capacity and capability of local authorities to provide and plan local transport services more generally and all existing relevant transport literature was reviewed.

The Department for Transport commissioned Campaign for Better Transport to carry out this research.

Published 19 December 2023