Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government which train operating companies they intend to bring under public ownership first, following the introduction of the Passenger Railway Services Bill.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Secretary of State announced on 4 December that, under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, South Western Railway’s services will transfer into public ownership on 25 May 2025, followed by c2c’s on 20 July 2025 and Greater Anglia’s in autumn 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their announcement on 17 November regarding £1 billion in funding for bus services, when they will publish the formula for allocation.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The way funding has been allocated to local authorities represents a change from previous methodologies to a fairer and simpler system, moving away from a competitive process. This funding for local authorities to deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans has been allocated based on local needs, considering three factors, equally weighted. These are:

• The level of population, the greater the population of the local transport authority the more money they will receive;
• The distance covered by buses in the authority, the greater the tendered bus mileage, the more money they will receive; and
• The index of multiple deprivation, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This is the official measure of relative deprivation in England.

Found: evidence: The grey belt Tuesday 19 November 2024 10.45 am Watch the meeting Members present: Lord Moylan

Found: Amendment 2: Terminating worst performing franchise agreements first Amendment 2 was tabled by Lord Moylan

Found: Letter dated 02/12/2024 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Lord Moylan regarding the consultation exercise