Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to support integrated public transport in Huddersfield.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are committed to improving public transport and delivering a transport system that works better for people across the country, enables growth and provides access to opportunities.
To support this, we are providing significant investment to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) including £2.1bn of Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding. This is in addition to the £830m allocated to WYCA through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS), some of which is expected to support the development of transport improvements in Huddersfield town centre, including enhancements to active travel routes and upgrades to Huddersfield Bus Station.
At the recent Spending Review, we provided further commitment to the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) which will deliver improvements to rail journeys between Manchester and York, via Huddersfield and Leeds and will provide significant investment at Huddersfield station.
We have also brought forward the Bus Services (No.2) Bill, which will put 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, including in Huddersfield.
In addition, we will be publishing an Integrated National Transport Strategy later this year, which will put people and the journeys they make at the heart of how we plan, build and operate transport.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of bus services, in the context of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Increasing the availability of bus services and continuing the rollout of zero emission buses are vital to decarbonising our transport system. We want to ensure that the more sustainable choice is the more convenient choice. The government will deliver an updated Carbon Budget Delivery Plan later this year, detailing policies to decarbonise all sectors, including transport, out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037.
As part of the government’s ambitious plan for bus reform, we introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December. 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.
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 to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to bus services in this Spending Review by confirming around £900 million each year from 26/27 to maintain and improve vital bus services.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding provided to local authorities for (a) street maintenance and (b) pothole repairs in Kirklees.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Kirklees Council is a constituent authority of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). Between 2022/23 – 2026/27, WYCA will receive over £167 million a year through its City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which includes highway maintenance funding.
In 2025/26, WYCA received over £14 million in additional funding for highway maintenance as part of the £500 million uplift announced in Budget 2024. It is entirely a matter for WYCA to determine how to allocate this funding to its constituent authorities, including Kirklees Council, based on local needs and priorities.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve (a) investment and (b) connectivity in transport in Huddersfield constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is taking steps to boost investment and improve connectivity in transport as part of its commitment to driving economic growth in all parts of the UK.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has been allocated £830m through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), a five-year £5.7bn government investment to improve the transport networks across eight city regions in England from 2022/23 to 2026/27. As part of this, funding is expected to support transport improvements in Huddersfield town centre, including enhancements to active travel routes on key approaches and upgrades to Huddersfield Bus Station.
While these schemes are in development, it a decision for WYCA whether they will progress to construction.
Future funding beyond 2025-26 will be reviewed in the spring multi-year spending review, aligning with the Integrated National Transport Strategy for long-term interests.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) will deliver faster, greener and more reliable rail journeys, better connecting key northern cities including Manchester to York via Huddersfield and Leeds, transporting people to work, education and leisure opportunities whilst supporting economic growth. TRU will provide an additional two platforms at Huddersfield and extend existing ones to increase capacity, as well as installing a new footbridge and lifts to improve accessibility.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for direct flights to resume from the UK to Pakistan.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Pakistan is still on UK Air Safety List and there is a process to follow to come off the Air Safety List. The Department for Transport, along with the UK Civil Aviation Authority continues to engage with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Responsibility remains with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to ensure it is meeting required safety standards to be delisted and we cannot provide a timeline on this.