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.

• First round of Love Your Bus funding launched in December 2024 projects are in their delivery stage 2025/2026 Read more about Love your Bus 2024/2025 Outcome

• Second round of Love your Bus grant funding application has closed on 2nd of February 2026 and we will publish results as soon as possible. Click Here to find out what happens now?

Project Aims

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

• Enable partnerships between communities and local transport providers

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

Key Details

• Maximum award: £50,000 per project

• Up to 3 projects per Parish/Town Council

• Joint applications encouraged for wider service areas

Purpose of the Fund

The objective of the Love Your Bus Grant Fund is to enable Parish and Town Councils to invest in revenue-based measures that will help increase patronage on local bus services serving their communities.

A wide range of initiatives will be considered, including (but not limited to):

• Service Enhancements
  Improvements such as increased frequency during peak hours, introduction of early morning or late-night services, or route extensions to connect underserved areas to key destinations.

• Community Engagement and Promotion
  Activities like targeted marketing campaigns, community events, and partnerships with schools or local groups to raise awareness and encourage bus use.

• Passenger Experience Improvements
  Enhancements such as clearer passenger information (e.g. maps, timetables, posters in accessible formats), accessibility initiatives (e.g. bus buddy schemes, targeted travel support), and systems for collecting and acting on passenger feedback.

• Incentive Programmes
  Initiatives like loyalty rewards for frequent users, collaborations with local businesses to promote bus use among staff and customers, seasonal or themed services, and social media campaigns.

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