Department for Transport

Every local transport authority in England must publish its first Bus Network Accessibility Plan by 1 April 2027. The plan has to assess how well the whole bus journey works for disabled people, rate each part of the network from 0 to 5, and commit to dated improvements. DfT published its guidance on 28 August 2026, which leaves authorities about six months to co-design, assess and publish. This briefing note sets out what the duty asks for and what it means in practice.

We have responded to the Department for Transport consultation on the Bus Services Act 2025 – improving information about local services.

Our response can be viewed as a PDF:

https://www.rtig.org.uk/system/files?file=Consultation-Responses/RTIG-c130%20Bus%20Service%20Act%202025%20Consultation%20Response.pdf

The Bus services around the Christmas and New Year period will often operate differently to normal weeks. 

The data for use in services such as the Department for Transport Bus Open Data Service , Traveline, journey planners, real time systems and mobile phone apps all need to be updated to reflect the changed operation. 

This advice deals with how to prepare data for the BODS and other systems to ensure that it is correct for the Christmas and New Year 2026-27 holiday period. 

At the start of July the DfT published a consultation on the Bus Services Act 2025: improving information about local services.

This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bus-services-act-2025-improving-information-about-local-services 

Following on from the publication of the Better Connected Strategy we have summaries the impact for public transport, information and specific implications for local transport authorities, operators and the supply chain.

https://www.rtig.org.uk/documents/rtigs017-1 

The long awaited integrated national transport strategy was published at beginning of April:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-connected-a-strategy-for-integrated-transport

Tap-and-go travel across buses, trains, and trams will benefit more cities and towns across England after the government announced more local powers for contactless travel today (2 April 2026).

The Transport Data Action Plan (DAP) sets out the Department for Transport’s (DfT) commitments to improve how transport data is used, shared and understood across the sector. 

It aims to enable:

We have received sufficient applications to more than fully commit the available grant and so have closed applications.

We do not expect to reopen applications. 

In March 2023, the Department for Transport announced rules that will require almost every local bus or coach service to provide audible announcements and visual displays identifying the route and direction, each upcoming stop, and the beginning of any diversions.

Following the successful three month transition period of the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) from KPMG to Kainos, we can now confirm the transfer is complete and that Kainos is now fully responsible for managing and operating the service.

 For any queries or support needs, please use the new helpdesk contact details below: