Question reference: S6W-06280
- Asked by: Natalie Don, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 2 February 2022
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 February 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the COVID-19 Support Grant, COVID-19 Support Grant - Restart, and Bus Service Operators' Grant will be continued in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answer
Today I am announcing a new Network Support Grant which will run from 1 April 2022 to help maintain bus services while passenger numbers recover from the effects of the pandemic.
The Network Support Grant will replace the COVID Support Grant, COVID Support Grant - Restart, and the Bus Service Operators Grant. The Network Support Grant will provide more flexibility than the emergency COVID funding schemes, allowing services to adapt to changed travel patterns and will be available on the same terms to new as well as established operators to help improve efficiencies and the offer to passengers. The level of support provided under the grant will reduce as passenger numbers recover and we will retain key controls and obligations on participating operators
The draft Scottish Budget for 2022-23 provides up to £93.5 million for this, including £40 million in additional funding. Full details of the Network Support Grant can be found on the Transport Scotland website.