Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of levels of availability of rural transport links on (a) economic growth, (b) tourism and (c) social inclusion; and what steps she is taking to improve rural transport links.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected as well as in supporting economic growth, tourism and social inclusion.
The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in North Yorkshire and rural areas right across England.
In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million to local authorities across the country, of which York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has been allocated £12.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities, including in rural areas.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming around £900 million each year from 26/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward bus franchising pilots in areas including York and North Yorkshire, and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support councils in improving the frequency and reliability of rural bus services in North Yorkshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government recognises the importance of accessible, frequent and affordable bus services in keeping communities connected as well as in supporting economic growth, tourism and social inclusion.
The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in North Yorkshire and rural areas right across England.
In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million to local authorities across the country, of which York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has been allocated £12.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities, including in rural areas.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming around £900 million each year from 26/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services, including taking forward bus franchising pilots in areas including York and North Yorkshire, and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to allocate additional funding to support rural bus franchising pilots in North Yorkshire; and what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) the Yorkshire Dales and (b) other areas receive equitable levels of funding compared to urban regions.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in the Spending Review. On 11 June, the government confirmed continued funding of around £900 million per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots in York and North Yorkshire. Allocations for individual LTAs for 26/27 onwards will be confirmed in due course.
The government has committed to reforming bus funding. Giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding will allow them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities. The formula used in 25/26 is an interim process and is only the first step towards a reformed allocation system. By adopting a fairer method of allocating the bus grant going forward, we expect the current disparities to level out, putting all LTAs on a more equal footing. We ultimately want to create a fairer and simpler system for bus funding that takes into account local needs.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Eurostar on the time taken for UK-bound passengers to board trains at Gare du Nord Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the importance of smooth passenger flows at Paris Gare du Nord, given this is a key terminal for cross-Channel passenger services. Eurostar and SNCF1 Gare Connexions, the station operator, are delivering a project to expand the number of border control points and eGates within the current terminal footprint, which will increase border capacity. There are also longer-term plans to significantly expand the cross-Channel terminal in the station to accommodate expected growth in passenger numbers. My officials regularly engage with key European and industry partners, including Eurostar and the French authorities, including holding recent discussions to understand long-term expansion plans for the station.