Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP asks about the status of ZEBRA (zero-emission bus regional areas) scheme in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Harrogate has electric buses already, and they are very popular for their ride quality and their environmental benefit. I am keen to see their benefits extended, particularly to Knaresborough, where we have two air quality management areas and the very high-volume No. 1 route. Will the Minister update the House on where we are with the ZEBRA—zero-emission bus regional areas—scheme?
Absolutely. My hon. Friend is a superb champion for Harrogate and Knaresborough and has extensive experience of public transport. I am sure that he will appreciate the recent announcement of £355 million of new funding for zero-emission buses, which is in addition to the existing £120 million for the ZEBRA scheme. On ZEBRA, we also announced last week that almost £71 million of the funding has been awarded to Warrington, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Kent, Cambridge and Peterborough. We continue to work with a further 17 local transport authorities that will submit proposals. One of those areas is North Yorkshire; I understand that Harrogate and Knaresborough are part of the defined area.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises the issue of Government cuts affecting rural transport networks and asks for significant investment to support these communities.
I welcome the Minister to Transport orals for what I believe is her first set of questions. In April, I raised the devastating impact of Government cuts on rural transport networks, which has led to what CPRE calls “transport deserts”. Six months on, rural communities are still bearing the brunt of the Government's failure to act. Many of the funding announcements in the Budget were nothing more than rehashed and repackaged initiatives that will do nothing to tackle the transport deserts that blight the lives of ordinary people in so many rural communities, towns and villages. I ask again: will the Minister offer rural bus networks the tangible and significant investment that they so desperately need? Will she offer a firm deadline for when that will be done?
As the hon. Member will know, in last week's spending review, we set out an unprecedented level of support for buses, including zero-emission vehicles. This Government are supporting the bus network through manufacturing and through the infrastructure required as we decarbonise, as set out in our transport decarbonisation plan.
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Assessment & feedback
specific deadline or commitment to tangible investment
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP asks about the implementation of audiovisual announcements on buses in Cambridge.
Back in 2017, the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones) was the buses Minister. As he will remember, we had many discussions about the Bus Services Act 2017 and audiovisual announcements. Incredibly, some four and a half years on, the proposals for audiovisual announcements have still not been implemented. When can I expect to see and hear them on buses in Cambridge?
We are working apace on this, and will be able to update the House in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
specific timeline or implementation date for audiovisual announcements
Under Review
Response accuracy