Louise Haigh, Labour’s newly appointed transport minister, has said the government will support local communities to take back control of buses through franchising or public ownership in a bid to improve services.

Last year, a study found that passenger numbers on rural bus services had fallen to ‘historic lows’, with a large number of services being cut across England.

As part of its Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the UK has pledged to decarbonise all modes of domestic transport by 2050, which will require greater uptake of public transport services.

Haigh has said she will save “vital bus routes up and down the country” and that efforts to deregulate the sector had failed, which is evidenced by the plummeting service levels.

“Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken,” Haigh said. “Too often, passengers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some have been cut off altogether.

“Change starts now. This new government will give local leaders the...