Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made a recent assessment with the Secretary of State for Transport of the potential impact of public transport services in rural areas on the viability of high street businesses operating in market towns.

The government recognises that rural residents must often travel further to access their local high street. We know that this can affect business viability for high streets in rural areas as employee and customer accessibility is a significant barrier.

The government is providing over £650 million for local transport outside city regions in 2025-26 to ensure that transport infrastructure and connections improve in our towns, villages and rural areas as well as in our major cities. Addressing intra-regional transport, connecting rural communities to their local high street will increase the viability of high street businesses in market towns. The government is also providing over £1 billion funding to support and improve local bus services and keep fares affordable where we can and increase connectivity to high streets in rural areas.