BUS services in Wales will be protected after the Welsh government performed a U-turn to provide £46 million in funding for a new transitional scheme.

Ministers and First Minister Mark Drakeford have said for months that they would not provide any more funding as passenger numbers remained depressed after the collapse of bus use during the Covid pandemic.

Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters published details of the bus transition fund this weekend.

The about-turn means that the majority of bus services in Wales will be protected, with the new money replacing the bus emergency scheme, which comes to an end in late July. 

“As a direct result of this funding we will be able to avoid mass cancellation of services across Wales,” Mr Waters said.

Welsh Local Government Association leader Andrew Morgan welcomed the money but warned that not every route in Wales could be protected.

“There has been some really intensive joint work undertaken by councils with operators, the Welsh government and Transport for Wales to protect as many bus services as possible while passenger numbers recover,” he said.

“The financial position has been particularly challenging due to the huge increase in costs and reduction in passengers.

“The bus transition fund will enable us to move steadily away from emergency funding back towards a mix of commercial and supported services.”

Operators’ lobby group the Confederation of Passenger Transport also welcomed the money, and said operators had worked hard to protect the most important services.

Aaron Hill, the confederation’s director in Wales, said: “We will now work closely with Welsh government and local partners to grow services and encourage people to get back on the bus.”