Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve rail services in rural areas of the South West.

This government is committed to improving rural rail services in the South-West, and public ownership and the creation of Great British Railways will help to deliver this.

We are striving to enhance connectivity and increase service frequency across underserved communities to the benefit of passengers provided it is affordable for the UK taxpayer.

Wiltshire local authority is receiving £18.6 million of capital Local Transport Grant and over £1.3million in revenue funding from the Local Transport Grant over this Spending Review period which will help to improve transport in their local area.