Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing demand responsive bus services to reduce the level of private car dependency for travel.

The bus market outside London is deregulated with decisions regarding service provision being primarily a commercial matter for bus operators, who are able to create demand responsive services.

The Secretary of State does however recognise the benefits that demand responsive transport has in areas with infrequent traditional bus services. This is why on September 2019 it was announced that the Department would introduce a £20 million Rural Mobility Fund to trial demand responsive services in rural and suburban areas. We are currently reviewing these bids.