‘Nothing to celebrate’: Row erupts between BCP Councillors and MP over bus funding
£8million worth of funding to make bus services across BCP quicker, cheaper and more reliable has been criticised
Councillors say the reality of funding secured for bus service improvements in BCP is ‘nothing to celebrate’, warning that the reality amounts to a cut that will leave passengers disappointed.
Last week, the MP for Bournemouth East Tom Hayes announced that BCP Council had been awarded £8m to improve local buses, claiming the investment would make services “faster, cheaper and more reliable”.
But councillors say the figure represents the total revenue grant across three years and is actually 5% lower year-on-year than the funding the council received in 2025.
BCP will receive £2.6m a year under the settlement. Cllr Andy Hadley, the council’s transport portfolio holder, said he feared residents had been “led to expect new bus routes and major improvements that simply aren’t deliverable with this reduced budget”.
He said: “We welcome ongoing investment from the Department for Transport but the reality is that our allocation is lower than last year.
“The MP’s messaging has raised expectations, which is really unfortunate. This funding gives us certainty, yes, but it adds pressure on an already stretched budget.
“Residents will feel let down by government moving funding elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Chris Rigby accused MP Hayes of “trying to claim a victory from a cut”, arguing that other areas, including neighbouring Dorset Council, had secured increases of around 25% under the government’s latest allocations.
“Instead of cheering a reduction, why isn’t our MP fighting for the funding we need?” he said.
Tom Hayes dismissed the criticism, insisting Labour was giving councils unprecedented long-term certainty.
He said: “BCP will get guaranteed transport funding every year: £3.7m next year, £4m the year after, £5.3m the year after that, and £6.3m in 2030.
“No government has given councils that kind of long-term certainty to plan ahead.
“I would gently encourage the Green councillor to ask the council leader they back to win private investment from big businesses to fund their transport needs.”