Somerset Bus Partnership and Bus Users UK Awards 2025

That this House congratulates Somerset Bus Partnership on winning the Non Stop Impact Award at the Bus Users UK Catch the Bus 2025 Awards; notes that the award was received in recognition of the partnership’s tireless campaigning throughout the year which led the way to the highest number of events organised to ensure local communities across Somerset remained engaged and informed of their local bus services, whilst showcasing their value throughout Catch the Bus Month; praises the unwavering commitment of the dozen bus user groups volunteers within the Somerset Bus Partnership led by Tony Reese and Peter Travis, who in 2025 have distributed over 50,000 printed timetables at over 100 bus stalls; recognises the Partnership’s hard work in helping to tackle the previous Conservative Government’s cuts to bus provision in Somerset, which has declined by 46% since 2015 and supporting the vital need in rural areas to ensure that bus timetables are better integrated with rail services to create a cohesive public transport system; calls on the Government to work with Local Authorities and Bus Partnerships by providing additional powers to franchise their services so bus routes can be restored and added where there is identified local need; and further calls on the Government to restore the £2 bus cap to help encourage higher patronage and prevent the erosion of access to essential bus services in rural areas.