TRANSPORT union RMT backed the transport committee’s call for long-term funding and protection of vital routes for England’s buses today.

A report by the committee found that 56 per cent of small towns were in a “transport desert,” while bus journeys outside of London had plummeted by 21.7 per cent since 2009.

It underlined the importance of connecting communities and supported long-term funding.

The Bus Services Bill is making its way through Parliament and will give local authorities the powers to run their own services.

The Department for Transport said it is providing £1 billion in multi-year funding to “improve the reliability and frequency of bus services.”

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Enabling councils to take control of their bus networks, through public ownership, could be a game-changer and deliver the affordable and reliable services passengers need if it is supported by ring-fenced and targeted funding.

“But to make this vision work, councils must have long-term funding guarantees to expand and restore services, and we need strong protections for bus workers including secure jobs, good pay and fair pensions, improvements to safety, so we can tackle the recruitment and retention crisis.”