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Bus Services: Rural Areas

Asked by Mark SewardsLabourDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 17 October 2024UIN 8560

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the reliability of bus services in rural communities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this parliamentary session, which will put decision-making into the hands of local leaders across England, including in rural areas. This will allow local areas to determine how best to design their bus services so that they have control over routes and schedules.

The government has also committed to increasing accountability by providing safeguards over local networks across the country and empowering local transport authorities through reforms to bus funding.

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