Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to help reduce the cost of tram services in England.

The provision of tram services is largely devolved in England. It is for local transport authorities and operating companies to determine ticket prices.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has supported tram systems with exceptional financial support. In total, the Government will have provided around £250 million to English tram and light rail systems outside London. This funding has helped keep services running and reduced any need for local authorities and operators to pass financial pressures on to passengers.

The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers, including local authorities, are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter. As an energy intensive sector, it is expected many Light Rail systems will benefit significantly from this scheme.