Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make available increased support for rural bus services in Hemsworth constituency; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognises the importance of bus services to rural communities, which provide vital links to local services. In recognition of this, in 2016/17, we have provided the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive – Metro – with over £2 million through the Bus Service Operators Grant scheme (BSOG) to help them support bus services in their area, including around Hemsworth. Decisions on which individual bus services in rural areas they wish to subsidise are, of course, a matter for individual local authorities. On top of this, we provide several million pounds a year direct to bus operators via BSOG for running services in West and South Yorkshire, including for the number 30 bus route.

We are also currently piloting the Total Transport initiative, which is exploring how local authorities and other agencies can work together to commission transport services more effectively in rural and isolated areas.