Asked by: Robert Goodwill (Conservative - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the role of the bus industry in delivering the levelling-up agenda.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The National Bus Strategy published in March 2021 will help deliver better bus services for passengers across England, including through far-reaching reform of how services are planned and delivered, targeted fares reductions and bus priority measures. Enhanced Partnerships and Franchising arrangements will deliver more comprehensive services to drive forward the Government’s levelling-up agenda.
Asked by: Robert Goodwill (Conservative - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support the UK bus and coach industry.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Since the start of the pandemic, an unprecedented level of support has been provided to the bus sector. Initially, over £1.5bn in emergency support was provided to operators and Local Transport Authorities through the Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant.
Recognising the ongoing financial challenges faced by the sector as passengers return, the Government has provided an additional £226.5m in recovery support through the Bus Recovery Grant. This scheme will run between September 2021 and April 2022.
For the coach industry, the Government has announced a range of measures available to support UK businesses, including coach operators, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough), loan schemes and grant funding.
On 25 March 2021, the Government announced a new Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) of £1.5 billion, available to support those businesses affected by the pandemic but that are ineligible for existing support linked to business rates. While this funding is allocated at local authorities’ discretion, the Government has issued guidance to councils encouraging them to consider tour operators among the businesses eligible for support. Coach operators should contact their local authorities for more information.
The Department continues to engage with stakeholders from both sectors to understand the challenges faced and support recovery.
Asked by: Robert Goodwill (Conservative - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the £355 million allocated in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 for zero-emission buses, when he expects production of these buses to begin.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
As set out in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 £355 million of new funding has been made available for zero emission buses. £150 million of this funding has been made available for 2021-22. The Department intends to allocate this funding to support to the Zero Emission Bus Region Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, taking the total funding available for the scheme to £270 million in the financial year 2021 to 2022.
£70.8 million of this funding has been awarded from the ZEBRA to five local transport authorities: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, Leicester City Council, Kent County Council, Milton Keynes Council and Warrington Borough Council. The Department is in the process of formally awarding funding to these areas. A further 17 local transport authorities are working to produce business cases under the standard process of the scheme. The Department will award funding to successful business cases under the standard process in Spring 2022. As set out in guidance for the ZEBRA scheme all zero emission buses should come into service no later than two years after funding has been awarded.
The remaining £205 million funding announced in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 will be available over the Spending Review period. The Department will provide further details on how this funding will be used in due course.
Asked by: Robert Goodwill (Conservative - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many zero-emission buses will be purchased using the £335 million allocated in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 for this purpose.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
As set out in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 £355 million of new funding has been made available for zero emission buses. £150 million of this funding has been made available for 2021-22. The Department intends to allocate this funding to support to the Zero Emission Bus Region Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, taking the total funding available for the scheme to £270 million in the financial year 2021 to 2022.
£70.8 million of this funding has been awarded from the ZEBRA to five local transport authorities: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, Leicester City Council, Kent County Council, Milton Keynes Council and Warrington Borough Council. The Department is in the process of formally awarding funding to these areas. A further 17 local transport authorities are working to produce business cases under the standard process of the scheme. The Department will award funding to successful business cases under the standard process in Spring 2022. As set out in guidance for the ZEBRA scheme all zero emission buses should come into service no later than two years after funding has been awarded.
The remaining £205 million funding announced in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 will be available over the Spending Review period. The Department will provide further details on how this funding will be used in due course.
Asked by: Robert Goodwill (Conservative - Scarborough and Whitby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the £335 million allocated in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 for zero-emission buses, how much of this funding will be made available in the next financial year.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
As set out in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 £355 million of new funding has been made available for zero emission buses. £150 million of this funding has been made available for 2021-22. The Department intends to allocate this funding to support to the Zero Emission Bus Region Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, taking the total funding available for the scheme to £270 million in the financial year 2021 to 2022.
£70.8 million of this funding has been awarded from the ZEBRA to five local transport authorities: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, Leicester City Council, Kent County Council, Milton Keynes Council and Warrington Borough Council. The Department is in the process of formally awarding funding to these areas. A further 17 local transport authorities are working to produce business cases under the standard process of the scheme. The Department will award funding to successful business cases under the standard process in Spring 2022. As set out in guidance for the ZEBRA scheme all zero emission buses should come into service no later than two years after funding has been awarded.
The remaining £205 million funding announced in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 will be available over the Spending Review period. The Department will provide further details on how this funding will be used in due course.