Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of guided busways as a type of rapid transit on (a) journey time reliability, (b) passenger growth and (c) modal shift from private vehicles.

The Government welcomes steps to improve the reliability and frequency of local bus services, including reducing journey times, for example through bus priority and busway schemes. Local transport is devolved, and local transport authorities are responsible for the design and delivery of the optimal mass transit solution for their particular local challenges.

At the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government confirmed over £1 billion to support and improve bus services, including £712 million allocated to local authorities in England outside London in 2025/26. Central Bedfordshire Council have been allocated £3 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability, or implementing bus priority measures.