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 2025 Parliament, the Transport Committee is investigating the importance of England's bus services in connecting rural communities, and recommendations from the Future of Transport: Rural Innovation policy paper, published under the former Government, are being taken forward.

Quality Rural Bus 2025 is for everyone involved in enhancing access and strengthening public transport links in Britain’s less densely-populated places – not only our most remote rural areas, but also our city fringe and green belt areas where conventional bus services need new thinking to thrive.

It’s a companion event to Quality Bus 2025 which will be taking place on 23 - 24 September at the Guildhall in Portsmouth, hosted by Portsmouth City Council. Our aim is to create the space to put the spotlight on innovative and cost-effective approaches to addressing rural transport needs.

The focus will be on delivering best practice and innovation from practitioners across the UK and Europe: the ‘heroes’ of rural bus who are delivering all the positive developments, and the ‘champions’ of rural bus who support and enable the full and varied spectrum of rural bus provision.