Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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, including in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
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. Buckinghamshire County Council has been allocated over £6.7 million of this funding, with Milton Keynes Council allocated £3.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the condition of roads in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Data on the condition of local roads is published annually and is available on gov.uk.
Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council are the local highway authorities for their respective areas and are therefore responsible for the condition and maintenance of their local road networks.
At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council will receive around £20.7 million and £10.7 million respectively from this Department during 2025/26 to help them carry out their local highway maintenance responsibilities. In each case this represents an uplift of over 35% compared to the current financial year. These totals are subject to both councils meeting new reporting requirements that the Government has introduced. Councils that comply with these new requirements will receive their full funding uplifts, helping to deliver the manifesto commitment to fill a million extra potholes a year as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed rail reforms on commuter services from Bletchley.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Railways Bill will enable the biggest overhaul of the rail sector in a generation. It will create stronger leadership by establishing Great British Railways as a new ‘directing mind’ for the industry, unifying track and train under a single public body to deliver better services for passengers and customers, and better value for money for taxpayers.
The Government launched an eight-week consultation on 18 February seeking views on the key legislative proposals that will form part of the upcoming Railways Bill.
Services from Bletchley will benefit from the changes set out above, alongside the rest of the network.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the Aylesbury spur of the East-West Rail link for the (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) UK economy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Along with East West Rail Company and Network Rail, the Department for Transport is considering the merits of providing an East West Rail link to Aylesbury, and shared both cost information and the results of business case analysis with the local authority. A final decision will be made in due course.