It says that two thirds of residents in a poll support the measure and that action is needed to reverse a decline in bus journeys taken.

Latest figures show that bus journeys have fallen by more than 300 million in just five years and are at their lowest level in over a decade. There were 4.31 billion bus passenger journeys made in England in 2018/19 compared to 4.627 billion in 2014/15 – a drop of 317 million.

The LGA claims that giving all councils oversight of local bus services will help to maintain and improve them, while protecting local routes for the benefit of older and vulnerable people.

It adds that nearly half of all bus routes are at risk, as the funding gap from Government for the concessionary bus fare scheme is expected to grow from an estimated £652 million shortfall in 2017/18.

“The continuing decline in bus journeys emphasises the need to protect bus services and for councils to be able to invest in funding subsidised routes,” said the group’s transport spokesman David Renard.

“With proper funding and by giving all councils oversight through automatic franchising powers, councils will be better placed to boost ailing passenger numbers and enable more people to use the bus services they rely on every day.”

The Campaign for Better Transport’s chief executive Darren Shirley agreed, saying: “Communities across the country have seen their bus networks fall away in recent years. National Government needs to give local authorities the skills, powers and resources to protect and improve bus services."

In a report published last week, the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK urged Government to develop a national bus strategy and called for local transport authorities to receive incentives to speed up bus journey times.

(Photograph: Urban Transport Group)