Buses are at the heart of public transport, that helps millions of people travel every day to work, school, shops, medical appointments, and to see friends and family. Buses play a vital role in reducing loneliness, supporting strong communities, and easing road congestion.

By helping lower pollution, especially with zero-emission buses, they are also a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and air pollution.

Research shows that if everyone took the bus instead of a car just twice a month, it could reduce CO2 emissions by 15.8 million tons by 2050 — equal to the total emissions of the North East in 2019 and reduce the 40,000 deaths a year that are attributable to poor air quality in the UK.

But despite their social and environmental benefits, bus services face real challenges:

- Cuts to national and local funding have led to reduced services or even complete withdrawal in some areas.
- Bus fares are rising faster than the costs of driving, making them harder to afford.
- In many places, including Worcester bus services are less frequent, less reliable, and traffic makes journeys even slower.

In 2021, after years of campaigning, the Government launched the *Bus Back Better* strategy to stop the decline of bus services and improve the network. But the plan didn’t have enough funding to make its goals a reality and we saw further cuts in Worcester.

*Our Vision for Better Bus Services*

We want to see a regular, affordable, and zero-emission bus network for our city. To achieve this, we need to:

- Replace short-term bus funding with a stable, long-term plan.
- Set minimum service levels so every community has access to necessary bus services.
- Make buses more frequent and affordable by increasing investment in bus services.
- Redirect funding from carbon-heavy transport projects, like road building, towards buses.
- Speed up the switch to zero-emission buses.

Why Action is Needed Now

Recently, the Government dealt a harsh blow to public transport users. The budget included a 50% increase in the fare cap for bus trips outside London, a rise that may put people off using buses or make it an unaffordable option. Rail fares have been raised above inflation, and the cost of railcards for families, young people, veterans, and seniors increased. In contrast, fuel duty for drivers was frozen for the 15th year, and the 5p-per-litre cut was kept.

This approach creates unfair outcomes. The fuel duty freeze and 5p cut, which cost the Government £4.2 billion in lost revenue, mostly benefit wealthier households, who drive more and often have larger cars. Keeping the 5p cut, introduced as a temporary measure two years ago, is a missed chance to support sustainable transport.

Environmentally, the decision to support car use over public transport weakens the Government's commitment to sustainable travel. To fight climate change, reduce pollution, and ease congestion, public transport has to be an easy, affordable choice. But by underfunding buses—our most-used public transport—the Government has missed a critical chance to support a more sustainable way to travel.

We urge a rethink of transport funding priorities. By focusing on sustainable public transport and reducing support for high-emission choices, we can create a cleaner, more connected, and fairer future.

Sign our petition and help us push for investment in a better, greener transport system.