Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support Demand Responsive Transport.

The government believes demand responsive transport (DRT) has an important role to play in ensuring communities can access transport services in areas where more traditional, regular stopping services may not be viable.

The government 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 right across England and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them.

We have allocated over £955 million to help support and improve bus services in 2025/26, including £712 million for local transport authorities (LTAs). LTAs can use funding to introduce DRT services in their areas where they believe it is appropriate to do so and will improve service provision.

The Department is supporting DRT trials, funded through the Rural Mobility Fund, and is monitoring their impact. The results of this work will help inform future DRT schemes that local authorities might want to pursue.