The Department’s evaluation programme is focused on specific funding streams, rather than on the outcomes it wants to achieve. Its most recent attempt to collect data to understand the impact of its funding interventions was poorly defined and did not provide useful information.34 We asked the Department whether its grants had resulted in improvements to bus services.35 The Department told us it intends to use an outcomes framework to specify metrics for each local authority, which it will pilot later this year. It told us this includes a basket of indicators including passenger satisfaction, punctuality, reliability, safety and accessibility.36 It hopes this will provide a better understanding of bus service performance and provide a guide as to whether to intervene, but it does not yet know how or when it would step in.37 28 Qq 5-6, 28-29 29 Q 34 30 Qq 39-41 31 Qq 17, 49 32 Q 5; C&AG’s report, paras 2.18-2.19 33 Q 49 34 C&AG’s report, paras 2.18-2.19 35 Q 25 36 Qq 8, 49 37 C&AG’s report, para 2.21 12 2 Supporting local transport authorities to deliver better bus services Choosing the right delivery model