Decision details

In November 2024 the Government announced £670m to enable local authorities to deliver their BSIP’s.

Dorset has been allocated £3,326,867 of Bus Grant funding for 2025/26, of which £2,006,762 is capital and £1,320,105 is revenue.

Release of the funding by the Department for Transport is conditional on submission of a Delivery Plan which lists the schemes to be delivered with this funding. The delivery plan has been approved by the Enhanced Partnership at a Board meeting Chaired by Cllr. Jon Andrews on the 20^th March 2025.

The delivery programme will be published on the council website at - Bus Service Improvement Plan - Dorset Council

To give final approval of the decision of the Enhanced Partnership Board to:

      i.         Commit £1,320,105 revenue bus grant funding to the schemes listed in Appendix A

     ii.         Commit £1,355,049 capital bus grant funding to the schemes listed in Appendix B

    iii.         Submit the 2025/26 delivery programme to the Department for Transport to release the Bus Grant funding

   iv.         Make an application to the Department for Transport to transfer the remaining £651,713 capital to revenue to support the priority of improving local bus services

To commit Bus Grant funds to deliver the 2025/26 delivery programme and submit the Delivery Plan to the Department for Transport.

A number of schemes have been considered as part of the development of the delivery plan.

Local bus operators and the council’s public transport team were invited to submit proposals to improve the local bus network. 21 proposals were received. A total of £2.68m revenue funding was requested. It has therefore been necessary to shortlist revenue proposals. Capital funding proposals submitted totalled £1.36m.

All proposals were assessed on their individual merits with consideration given to the following factors:

a)    Area of impact

b)    BSIP objectives met

c)    Expected benefits

d)    Long term viability (revenue only)

e)    Financial risk to the council

f)      Financial ask 

Schemes that could not demonstrate value for money or long-term sustainability without significant ongoing support being required were discounted. Schemes that were rejected for this Bus Grant funding round will be further discussed by the Enhanced Bus Partnership with more detailed service reviews completed ahead of being reconsidered for future rounds of funding should it be available.

The costs of the 2025/26 programme are met through the allocation of Bus Grant funding. Funding awards will be subject to the conditions of the funders and value of the funds available.