Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many bus tickets have been purchased under the Help for Households campaign; and what assessment they have made of the impact the campaign has had on passenger numbers in (1) urban, and (2) rural, areas.

The Government is providing up to £135 million to help bus operators cap single fares at £2 from 1 January to 30 June. Over 140 operators covering more than 4,700 routes in England outside London are currently participating, and the primary objectives of the scheme are to help people save on their regular travel costs and to increase bus usage.

The Department for Transport is running a Monitoring and Evaluation exercise to review the scheme so that we will be in position to understand the impact it has brought on savings and patronage.