Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts
Thursday 22nd November 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nusrat Ghani Portrait Ms Ghani
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The hon. Gentleman seems confused. When you wait for a bus, three come along at once: over £13 million of bus service operators grant has been made available to Manchester; the transforming cities fund has given the mayoral authority £312 million to drive up intercity connectivity; and, moreover, the Mayor has the authority to ask for franchising, but he has not—I suggest that the hon. Gentleman and his Mayor just jump on the bus and ask for it.

Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
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Late-running and cancelled buses cause just as much misery for people as late-running and cancelled trains. We talk a lot in this Chamber about the trains, but it is also happening on the buses at the moment. The Transport Committee has heard about the problems in Bristol, and there is misery on the buses in Cambridge. What assessment has the Minister made of bus punctuality, particularly the effect of bus driver shortages?