Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a Demand Response Travel project for areas of North Hertfordshire and St Albans District in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency.

Whilst it is for Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to determine and prioritise investment in local transport, the Government’s National Bus Strategy asked all LTAs outside London to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) covering the full area, including parts with differing needs, such as rural elements. The Strategy encourages new forms of bus provision in areas which are not adequately served by conventional timetabled buses. DRT can play a part in delivering this.

Hertfordshire County Council submitted a high-quality BSIP. On 8 August 2022, the Department wrote to the Council’s Transport Director, confirming their funding allocation of up to £29,732,100 (of which £13,190,400 is capital and £16,541,700 is revenue) to support delivery of the BSIP.