Photograph: Alamy
In rural areas such as ours, the bus is essential. It is vital for those who are unable to drive, enabling them to get to work, school, the doctor's or the hospital, and it can drastically improve quality of life.
I understand the frustration and concern expressed by many of my constituents as they witness local services being altered and sometimes reduced and, with local residents, have fought a number of campaigns to protect them in various parts of our constituency. I am, therefore, keen to ensure that providing funding to support local bus services is a key priority for this Government.
At the 2015 Spending Review, the Government committed to protecting the Bus Service Operator's Grant (BSOG). Approximately £250 million was paid in BSOG last year, with around £40 million of this paid directly to English local authorities to help deliver bus services. This central funding has also been ring-fenced for the coming financial year. In addition, earlier this year, I and other rural MPs held a series of tough lobbying meetings with the Secretary of State to argue that our local government budget was simply inadequate to take account of the costs of delivering services to dispersed rural communities and that the disparity in grant between Devon and other local government areas was unsustainable. I am glad to say that Devon (and some other rural counties) has now obtained an extra £14 million in its local government grant settlement this year.
The Government also pays annually for almost £1 billion of local authority spending on the concessionary bus pas and is committed to maintaining that support in this Parliament. Bus projects and infrastructure are also important. Through the Local Growth Fund, around £200 million is expected to be spent on bus infrastructure schemes to 2020. This builds on the work of the Coalition Government, which allocated around £300 million for major bus projects, as well as £70 million to the Better Bus Areas programme. Ministers are also taking forward an important Bus Services Bill to provide local authorities with the means to improve local bus services. Local authorities will be able to set required standards of service with bus providers, including ticketing and the frequency of services.
This represents a measure of real progress but, in a still difficult financial climate, I shall maintain the pressure for continued investment by the Government in rural bus services, which are so vital to the wellbeing of our communities. Please do let me know if any reductions are proposed in your area.
Geoff Cox MP