Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the level of regularity of bus services in Hemel Hempstead constituency on the ability of residents to commute to work.

The government knows that a modern public transport network is vital to keeping communities connected, and ensuring people can commute to work. The government believes that local transport authorities, working with bus operators, are best placed to determine and design local bus networks in their area. 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 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 allocated to local authorities across the country, of which Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated £12.2 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce improvements to bus services to best meet the needs of passengers in their local area, including increasing the frequency of bus services.