Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to help (a) improve local bus services, (b) increase routes and (c) reduce fares in rural parts of Teesside.

Good reliable and affordable local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in rural parts of Teesside.

In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent, protect crucial bus routes or introduce initiatives to reduce fares for local communities.  Tees Valley Combined Authority has been allocated £7.2 million of this funding.