Department for Transport

The Bus services around the Christmas and New Year period will often operate differently to normal weeks. 

The data for use in services such as the Department for Transport Bus Open Data Service , Traveline, journey planners, real time systems and mobile phone apps all need to be updated to reflect the changed operation. 

This advice deals with how to prepare data for the BODS and other systems to ensure that it is correct for the Christmas and New Year 2026-27 holiday period. 

At the start of July the DfT published a consultation on the Bus Services Act 2025: improving information about local services.

This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bus-services-act-2025-improving-information-about-local-services 

Following on from the publication of the Better Connected Strategy we have summaries the impact for public transport, information and specific implications for local transport authorities, operators and the supply chain.

https://www.rtig.org.uk/documents/rtigs017-1 

The long awaited integrated national transport strategy was published at beginning of April:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-connected-a-strategy-for-integrated-transport

Tap-and-go travel across buses, trains, and trams will benefit more cities and towns across England after the government announced more local powers for contactless travel today (2 April 2026).

The Transport Data Action Plan (DAP) sets out the Department for Transport’s (DfT) commitments to improve how transport data is used, shared and understood across the sector. 

It aims to enable:

We have received sufficient applications to more than fully commit the available grant and so have closed applications.

We do not expect to reopen applications. 

In March 2023, the Department for Transport announced rules that will require almost every local bus or coach service to provide audible announcements and visual displays identifying the route and direction, each upcoming stop, and the beginning of any diversions.

Following the successful three month transition period of the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) from KPMG to Kainos, we can now confirm the transfer is complete and that Kainos is now fully responsible for managing and operating the service.

 For any queries or support needs, please use the new helpdesk contact details below:

Find out more about Innovate UK’s Contract for Innovation, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), to develop an affordable, user friendly hardware and software solution, which provides accessible audio visual information on coaches 

About the event

The Department for Transport is developing a strategy which will set the high-level direction for how transport should be designed, built and operated in England over the next 10 years.

It will set out a single national vision which will put people who use transport and their needs at its heart and empower local leaders to deliver integrated transport solutions that meet the needs of their local communities.

To help us create the strategy, we are now asking people: