Oral Answers to Questions

Gagan Mohindra Excerpts

Thursday 26th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Juliet Campbell (Broxtowe) (Lab)]

7. What steps she is taking with local authorities to help improve local bus services.

[Mr Gagan Mohindra (South West Hertfordshire) (Con)]

9. What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.

[Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)]

18. What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of bus services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lilian Greenwood]

We are committed to working with local leaders, including Mayor Claire Ward, to improve buses. We are providing the East Midlands combined county authority with £65 million between now and 2028-29, which can be used to increase bus provision across the local area. I know that Mayor Claire would be very happy to work with my hon. Friend to help plan bus networks that work for local people, including those living in Beeston Rylands.

[Mr Mohindra]

South Oxhey was previously served by three buses per hour operating across two routes, but since last July that has been reduced to an hourly 328 service, which is sometimes cancelled leaving a two-hour gap between buses. The Minister has previously stated that the Bus Services Act 2025 will provide local authorities with the tools to manage bus services, but what steps will the Department take to hold bus operators to account on this issue?

[Lilian Greenwood]

It is for local authorities, who have been given both the funding and the tools, to decide what works for their local area. Obviously they can have bus enhanced partnerships with local operators, but they can also consider franchising when they feel that that is necessary in order to provide the services that local people need. I know that Hertfordshire is one of the places that is piloting franchising appropriate for rural areas.