Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]

Alison Griffiths Excerpts

Report stage
Wednesday 10th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dr Tidball]

I rise to speak to new clause 2, which covers issues of accessibility. My older, younger and disabled constituents often tell me that they are left stranded, enduring painfully long waiting times due to unreliable bus services, and facing distressing situations such as toileting issues, missed NHS appointments or arriving late at school. This is the reality of failed bus services faced by many constituents across my Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency as a result of the Conservative legacy. This is unacceptable, as I mentioned on Second Reading, when Reform MPs could not even be bothered to show up—where are they today?

When I was growing up, our South Yorkshire transport system was the envy of the world, but 14 years of the Conservatives’ north-south transport divide and their broken promises of a London-style transport system for South Yorkshire in reality meant that my constituency lost 53% of its bus services, with a paltry 38% spent per head on our doorstep compared with London. And the SL1 tram link bus was scrapped, leaving many of my constituents unable to continue to work or to go to college in Sheffield.

Our local communities have helped build the prosperity of this great nation. From the speciality steelworks in Stocksbridge and the farmers across Penistone, to the advanced manufacturing sites across Chapeltown, my constituents are among the hardest working people we could ever meet.

[Alison Griffiths (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)]

The hon. Lady and I share a huge concern for ensuring access to all types of transport, including buses, for the disabled of every kind. Does she agree that the strike in London, which is crippling transport services, is causing greater harm to the disabled community here than in any other part of the country?

[Dr Tidball]

The accessibility plans that this Bill will now put in place will dramatically improve the accessibility of bus networks up and down this country.

My constituents have the potential to be the beating heart of British growth, with good, well-connected public transport that unleashes their potential. Our Labour Government have already begun to power this change for transport. South Yorkshire is already set to benefit from £1.5 billion of extra transport funding under this Government, adding £20 billion to our regional economy. I am proud to support the Bill, which will finally end the Tories’ postcode lottery of bus services and will save and create vital bus routes by supporting every community to take back control of our bus network. Through new powers to set routes, fares and services, communities will finally have a proper say in the essential services that they rely on, instead of routes and fares being left to the whim of unaccountable private operators.

Transport inequality leads to health inequality too, which is why it is fantastic that as a result of the work done in the Lords, the Bill will also require local transport authorities—as I said to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Alison Griffiths)—to produce bus network accessibility plans. Furthermore, driver disability awareness training will become mandatory for the first time.