Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Natascha Engel and Theresa Villiers

Thursday 15th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Villiers]

Yes, I would be delighted to.

[Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire) (Lab)]

Integrated transport authorities have effectively re-regulated buses in the larger metropolitan county areas, which has squeezed private bus companies and made the bus wars in rural areas particularly fierce. That is great for those who live on lucrative bus routes, but services to smaller rural villages have become so bad as to be non-existent in some places. What is the Minister doing to help people out in those smaller rural areas?