Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rural Transport Connections

Thursday 29 April 2021 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial funding of 20 million has been established for the rural mobility fund to trial innovative transport services in rural areas.
  • The Department received a bid for development funding to reopen Grove station and is awaiting decisions from an expert panel.
  • The Prime Minister has committed to bus back better post-pandemic, allocating 5 billion in funding for buses, cycling, and walking.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sally-Ann Hart
Transport Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Transport for the South East highlighted the need for integrated transport approaches in rural areas, including better integrated transport hubs.

Question

Beautiful Hastings and Rye has an extensive rural area with low population density, making practical and affordable public transport difficult. Accessible and affordable transport is a lifeline for many residents. What steps are being taken to facilitate innovation and new services in rural transport?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

My hon Friend makes an excellent point. We have established the rural mobility fund worth £20 million to trial more demand-responsive services, awarding funding to 17 pilot projects already. A call for evidence was published for the future of transport rural strategy seeking views on how rural communities can benefit from transport innovation.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 David Johnston
Transport
Context

A survey showed that 98% of people in the constituency support the reopening of Grove station.

Question

My constituency has many challenges associated with rural areas, but my top priority is to reopen Grove station. We have submitted a bid to the Restoring Your Railway fund. When will we receive an update on this?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

I pay tribute to my hon Friend for his continued advocacy on behalf of his constituency, as I know this is an issue he has raised repeatedly with Ministers. The Department received the bid for development funding. Decisions will be made by our expert panel following an initial review carried out by the Department for Transport and Network Rail. We expect to announce outcomes in the summer.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Robert Largan
Transport
Context

Andy Burnham is franchising bus services in Greater Manchester, but towns outside the area rely heavily on cross-border bus services.

Question

After five years, Andy Burnham is finally getting on with franchising bus services in Greater Manchester. Will my hon Friend ensure that local authorities work together to improve cross-border bus routes and deliver a badly needed direct bus from Glossop and Hadfield to Tameside General Hospital?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

Indeed, Mr Speaker. I thank my hon Friend for being such a great champion of active travel across his constituency of High Peak. It is for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to determine the geographical area of the franchising scheme. Local transport authorities may join together to produce joint plans where local economies and travel-to-work areas overlap significantly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide any specific commitments or timelines regarding cross-border bus services.

How: It Is For The Greater Manchester Combined Authority To Determine

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Sam Tarry
Transport Energy Business & Trade
Context

Recent research by the Campaign to Protect Rural England found that Government cuts have led to a loss of 134 million miles of bus coverage.

Question

The past decade of government cuts has seen significant losses in bus coverage. There needs to be proper funding for manufacturers like Mellor in Rochdale, which produces state-of-the-art low emission vehicles. The rural mobility fund totals just £19.4 million compared to the £120 million ZEBRA funding. What assurances will the Minister give that companies like Mellor receive greater support?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

There can be no greater champion of buses than the Prime Minister, who has committed us to bus back better following the pandemic. £5 billion in funding was announced for buses, cycling and walking, with £3 billion allocated to buses. The roll-out of 4,000 zero emission buses is crucial. We are keen to work with all manufacturers, large and small.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific assurances for significant investment in companies like Mellor.

How: There Can Be No Greater Champion Of Buses Than The Prime Minister

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email