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Bus Service Improvement Plan

The Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) is a strategic document which describes how Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and operators in a given area will look to achieve the goals of the National Bus Strategy. The BSIP provides a framework for delivery while acting as a bidding document for future funding available to achieve many of the objectives of the National Bus Strategy.

In response to the strategy we submitted the BSIP at the end of October 2021, with a total funding ask of £213m over a three-year period. In April 2022, shortly after introducing its Enhanced Partnership in line with Government guidance, we learnt that only £35.1m was being allocated in response to the submission.

Whilst the allocation was significantly less than the £213m requested and would not deliver the level of ambition contained within Kent’s BSIP, this is still a positive outcome as of the 79 LTAs which submitted a BSIP, only 31 received any allocation of funding.

In March 2023, we received the first portion of BSIP funding of £18.9m, to use on an agreed list of initiatives for 2023 to 24. Only a small fraction of this funding can be spent on bus services themselves, with most of the money being spent on bus priority, infrastructure schemes and other initiatives.

In January 2024, the Department for Transport (DfT) asked us to update our BSIP documents and complete a Bus Connectivity Assessment. We submitted those in June 2024 and the second portion of funding, approximately £16 million, was released in July 2024.

In December 2024, the DfT confirmed Kent would be awarded an additional £22m for 2025 to 2026, providing we submitted a new BSIP delivery plan. The delivery plan is published below. We are waiting to receive this funding, but it is expected by summer 2025.

Bus Service Improvement Plan documents

Highway designs

Part of our BSIP funding is allocated to carrying out minor highway improvements. We work with bus operators to support bus punctuality and reliability by installing new restrictions or physical changes to our road and footway network.

Several sites in Kent have been identified as requiring new and additional measures to prevent issues from interfering with scheduled services. We will publish the construction designs for the schemes as they become available:

Ashford

Canterbury

Dover

Maidstone

Swale

Tonbridge and Malling