Love your Bus 2025/2026 Grant Outcomes

In 2025/2026, Essex County Council delivered the second round of the Love Your Bus Grant Fund, supporting a significantly larger number of community-led projects to enhance local bus services.

This round demonstrated:

  • Exceptionally strong engagement from Parish and Town Councils

  • Innovative, locally tailored approaches

  • Continued commitment to improving accessibility and passenger experience

Growing Demand and Programme Expansion

Building on the success of the first round, demand increased significantly:

  • Applications doubled, from 12 (2024/25) to 24 (2025/26)

  • 23 projects were approved for funding, with one application withdrawn due to duplication

Overview of 2025/2026 Delivery

  • 23 projects awarded

  • Total funding awarded: £895,160

  • 1 application withdrawn (duplicate bid)

The second round was supported by:

  • £500,000 BSIP (RDEL) funding, plus

  • £395,160 additional funding, enabling Essex County Council to support a greater number of strong, high-quality applications

Building on Round 1 – What We Improved

You Suggested, We Listened

Based on feedback and lessons learned from the 2024/25 grant round, several improvements were introduced:

  • Simplified application process to reduce time and complexity

  • Clearer information on ECC-supported services, including contract timelines

  • Dedicated points of contact for transport providers supporting Love Your Bus projects

  • Weekly engagement and Q&A sessions (September 2025 – January 2026) to support applicants throughout the process

Funded Projects

Types of Projects Funded

  • Additional morning, peak, evening, and weekend journeys

  • Route extensions to improve access to isolated areas

  • Reinstatement of previously withdrawn services

  • Youth fare trials and promotional initiatives

  • Community-focused marketing and passenger information campaigns

  • Accessibility and passenger experience improvements