The inaugural Quality Rural Bus 2025 event is supported by the Department for Transport and the Bus Centre of Excellence as they recognise that improving rural mobility is key to delivering Government’s policy.

Rural mobility is a key policy area: In its first inquiry of the 2024 Parliament, the Transport Committee is investigating the importance of England’s buses services in connecting rural communities, the Connected Places Catapult is running a Rural Transport Accelerator Fund, and recommendations from the Future of Transport: Rural Innovation policy paper, published under the former Government, are being taken forward.

250 delegates will join the event, comprising local authorities and their supply chain advisers, consultants and contractors, bus operators, data and modelling experts, design services and infrastructure suppliers, plus a wide range of bus-related product and service providers (DRT platforms, routing / optimisation software suppliers, infrastructure providers, payment and ticketing services and more).

Cost-effective, convenient and appealing services will help convert more people to using buses for more journeys – but rural services face particular challenges. Quality Rural Bus 2025 will show case the ways in which innovations across the bus sector are tackling rural mobility issues, improving connectivity and accessibility, increasing low carbon travel options and delivering more integrated transport services.