Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of increasing public transport service frequency to enable the same number of passengers to travel on that transport while applying the 1 metre rule as travelled on it prior to the covid-19 outbreak.

On 23 May, the Transport Secretary announced a further £283 million to help increase bus and light rail services across England as quickly as possible to help ensure there is enough space for passengers to observe social distancing guidelines, as we begin to re-open our economy.

The Government has approved £2.9bn of additional expenditure during the 2020/21 financial year to ensure that vital rail services continue to operate. This expenditure covers all train operators with franchise agreements with the Department.

To support Transport for London services we have agreed a £1.6 billion funding and financing support package to enable them to continue operating essential services, transporting passengers safely and protecting staff during the pandemic and supporting the capital’s gradual recovery from COVID-19.