Bus Franchising Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Transport

Bus Franchising

Sean Woodcock Excerpts
Monday 9th September 2024

(4 days, 7 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Sean Woodcock Portrait Sean Woodcock (Banbury) (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

At the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the unveiling of two brand new community-owned green buses in the village of Middle Barton in my constituency. After 14 years of devastation to public bus services in Oxfordshire, such community-led schemes can go a long way to filling the gap. Does the Minister agree that a decade of renewal promised by this Labour Government must see an improvement and regeneration in rural bus services?

Simon Lightwood Portrait Simon Lightwood
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

Absolutely. We want to give local transport authorities and leaders the power to take back control of bus services, to shape the future of those services to accurately reflect the needs of individual communities.