How to Apply

The Love Your Bus Grant Fund supports Parish and Town Council projects aimed at increasing bus service patronage and aligning with Essex County Council’s (ECC) goals of fostering:

A strong, inclusive, and sustainable economy.
A high-quality environment.
Health, wellbeing, and independence for all ages.
A good place for children and families to grow.

Grants of up to £50,000 are available for revenue-only projects in the 2026/2027 period, supported by the Department for Transport's BSIP+ funding. Total funding available: £500,000.

In order to help you complete this application, you may wish to download Love Your Bus application Form document.

For full details on application/bid criteria, intended grant agreement, project requirements, collaboration guidance, evaluation criteria, funding and financial requirements, project monitoring and reporting, including the information required to complete this application, please read all the documents below.
Love your bus Application Guidance Notes	Bid Criteria for Parish and Town Councils	Intended Grant Agreement

Eligibility Criteria

Who can apply: Parish and Town Councils only.
Bus service requirement: Services must operate at least 80% of their mileage within ECC's administrative area (excluding Southend and Thurrock).
Number of applications: Each council can submit up to three projects.
Collaborative applications with neighbouring Councils are encouraged.
Support from Transport Provider: Letter to provide support from bus company operating the service and their commitment to meet the data-sharing requirements as outlined in application guidelines.
Support from County Councillor: Written or email confirmation from the local County Councillor endorsing the project.

What to Expect After Applying

Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed against the published criteria. Successful applicants will be sent out grant agreement for signatures, and once returned grant funding will be issued. Soon after project start date will be agreed and monitoring schedule will be agreed.

Ongoing support will be available throughout the delivery period.

Stay Updated

The Information Hub will be regularly updated throughout the application window. Please check back for: