Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of bus fares on access to further education for post-16 students in rural areas; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging bus operators to introduce discounted travel passes for students travelling to and from further education colleges.

The Government recognises the importance of affordable and reliable bus services in helping children and young people access education and other opportunities. Decisions on introducing local concessionary travel schemes are generally matters for local transport authorities, who are best placed to consider local transport needs and priorities.

The Government supports affordable bus travel through the Local Authority Bus Grant, which gives local transport authorities flexibility to introduce local fare initiatives and targeted support for children and young people. For the first time, the formula used to allocate this funding takes rurality into account, reflecting the particular challenges faced by rural areas.