A joint statement from Welsh Government, WLGA, Confederation of Passenger Transport and Coach and Bus Association Cymru.
The Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) has kept vital bus services running throughout the pandemic.
Without the scheme we would have seen mass cancellations of services and communities left isolated.
We now need to start to transition away from emergency style funding.
The scheme was due to come to an end in March 2023 but, after extensive conversations, we can confirm we are able to extend it for a transitional period. An initial extension of three months gives the industry the short term stability it needs while we continue to work together on planning bus networks which better suit the new travel patterns we have seen since the end of the pandemic.
Following conversations with the Traffic Commissioner, the deregistration window has also been temporarily reduced to 28 days.
The extension of funding together with the 28-day window means there is no need for operators to make decisions on their future network in the very immediate future.
We will continue to work closely together and with other partners - including Transport for Wales - to build a strong and sustainable bus network for Wales.