Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of bus connectivity between (a) towns and (b) villages in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government knows how important reliable bus services are in enabling people to stay connected and access education, work and vital services. We are committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including in Surrey. The Government has introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 which puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities.

Surrey County Council will be allocated £33.6 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29. This is in addition to the £12 million they are already receiving under the LABG this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding bus provision between towns and villages.