Love your bus Grant Fund Information

About the Grant

Love Your Bus is a community-led grant initiative launched by Essex County Council (ECC) and funded through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

This funding opportunity enables Parish and Town Councils in Essex to bid for support to grow and sustain their local bus routes. It encourages community-led action and partnerships with transport providers to improve bus services.

Programme Status

• Round 1 (2024/25) launched in December 2024. All funded projects are now in delivery through 2025/2026. Read more about Love your Bus 2024/2025 Outcome

• Round 2 (2025/26) closed on 2 February 2026.
  Results have now been published. Read more about Love your Bus 2 outcome.

Project Aims

The Love Your Bus Grant Fund aims to:

• Support community-led initiatives to grow and sustain local bus routes

• Enable stronger partnerships between communities and transport providers

• Deliver locally tailored enhancements that reflect each community’s needs

• Encourage innovative approaches that help increase bus patronage across Essex

Key Details

• Maximum award: £50,000 per project

• Up to 3 projects per Parish/Town Council

• Joint applications encouraged for wider service areas

Successes and Growth of the Programme

The Love Your Bus programme has seen significant growth and stronger community involvement from Round 1 to Round 2.

Round 1 Successes (2024/25)

• 8 projects were awarded funding in the first year.

• This pilot phase helped shape a stronger, more community‑driven model for future rounds.

• Councils reported improved local visibility of bus services and growing community‑operator collaboration.

Round 2 Expansion (2025/26)

• 23 projects have now been awarded funding, nearly triple the first round.

• Higher participation reflected increased confidence from Parish and Town Councils in the scheme.

• Applications showed greater innovation, more collaborative bids, and stronger alignment with local transport needs.

High Community Engagement

Throughout the Round 2 application period, ECC delivered:

• Weekly engagement sessions

• Live Q&A sessions

• Regular support and guidance for Parish and Town councils

This resulted in significantly improved application quality and wider geographic coverage across Essex.

Eligibility & Guidance Overview

The Love Your Bus grant fundi is designed to support enhancements to existing local bus services and is not intended for the creation of new routes.

Who Can Apply

• Parish and Town Councils within Essex

• Joint applications encouraged for wider service areas

What the Grant Covers

• Revenue-based measures to grow and sustain local bus routes

• Initiatives that improve passenger experience and increase bus patronage