Bus Funding

Steve Darling Excerpts

Monday 18th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Louise Haigh]

It is particularly important that we encourage young people on to buses, so that they can develop better behaviours and carry on using buses throughout their adult lives. I am delighted that we can confirm an additional £1.2 million in revenue funding for Norfolk. That revenue funding will be available to Norfolk to enable it to add additional services and improve the reliability and frequency of its local buses.

[Steve Darling (Torbay) (LD)]

I would like to acknowledge the significant investment in my constituency and say how welcome this will be after Torbay’s first “bus back better” bid came back empty from the Conservatives. One of the issues that has led to significant cuts in our bus services is the recruitment of bus drivers. Can the Secretary of State advise us on how the Government plan to enhance the opportunities for the recruitment of bus drivers so that this money can be put to good use?

[Louise Haigh]

Torbay is a fantastic example of an area that has done well out of this funding settlement but was treated appallingly by the previous bus service improvement plan funding process. The hon. Gentleman is right to say that the recruitment of bus drivers is an issue that has plagued certain parts of the country, and we are working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, through its “Get Britain Working” White Paper, to ensure that we can address recruitment and retention issues in the bus sector.