Bus charters in England should promise buses no more than five minutes late, DfT guidance says

Bus passengers in England should be able to expect their bus to leave no more than one minute early or five minutes late, according to Department for Transport (DfT) guidance on bus passenger charters published on Wednesday.

Local transport authorities in England outside London are expected to include a charter in their bus service improvement plans, setting out the standards passengers can expect and what to do when they are not met. Charters were first requested in 2021 and the guidance was revised in 2024. The new version sets out what the DfT calls the minimum commitments it expects to see, drawn from existing law and statutory guidance. Councils can go further, and the department expects the content to be reflected when charters are next revised and consulted on.

A charter does not create a new legal relationship with passengers, and the guidance says it should state that plainly.

The standards

On punctuality, the guidance follows the Senior Traffic Commissioner's statutory guidance: 95% of buses should depart between one minute early and five minutes after the scheduled time. On frequent routes, those running every 10 minutes or less, there should be six or more buses in any 60 minutes, with no gap between buses of more than 15 minutes, again for 95% of services.

Demand-responsive buses do not have to accept every booking. Once a booking is accepted, though, the bus should arrive within a 20-minute window, either one set by the operator or one running from 10 minutes before to 10 minutes after the agreed pick-up time.

Buses should be cleaned regularly inside and out, and councils may say how often. Up-to-date information on routes, frequencies, days of operation, fares and stops should be available in accessible formats, and drivers should keep passengers informed when there is disruption.

Drivers or conductors should give reasonable help to disabled passengers, including wheelchair users, getting on and off, and passengers with an assistance dog must be let on. Other passengers must be asked to vacate the wheelchair space when a wheelchair user is boarding and they can be accommodated elsewhere.

Complaints

Within a month of a complaint, the operator should respond saying whether it has been substantiated, rejected or is still being considered. If there is no reply in that time, or the passenger is unhappy with it, the charter should direct them to Bus Users UK, an approved alternative dispute resolution body for buses and coaches. It can be reached online at bususers.org, by email at complaints@bususers.org or on 0300 111 0001.

Charters can also set out what is expected of passengers, including treating drivers and other passengers with respect, not distracting the driver while the bus is moving except in an emergency, and carrying a valid ticket or pass.

Wider bus plans

The charter guidance was published alongside updated guidance on bus service improvement plans. To meet the DfT's funding conditions for 2027 to 2028, authorities not on an integrated settlement are asked to publish a refreshed plan by 31 March 2027 and then update it every two years. The DfT is giving councils almost £700 million a year through the Local Authority Bus Grant between 2026-27 and 2028-29. Outside London, the national single fare cap, which applies where eligible operators take part, will be set at £2 in 2027.