Buses connecting communities
Transport Committee
Closed
Inquiry
In many parts of the country, bus services and passenger numbers are in decline. The Transport Committee will examine the role of buses in connecting rural communities with nearby towns and suburban areas. The inquiry will evaluate the effectiveness of recent Government policy in tackling the decline in bus services. …
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15
Recommendations
18
Conclusions
1
Report
4
Oral sessions
5
Events
Activity timeline 11 events
31 Oct
2025
2025
13 Aug
2025
2025
Report published
14 May
2025
2025
Oral evidence
14 May
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
29 Apr
2025
2025
Formal meeting (private meeting) · The Macmillan Room, Portcullis House
26 Mar
2025
2025
Oral evidence
26 Mar
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
12 Mar
2025
2025
Oral evidence
12 Mar
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
26 Feb
2025
2025
Oral evidence
26 Feb
2025
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
14 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Simon Lightwood MP · Department for Transport
Stephen Fidler · Department for Transport
26 Mar 2025
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Alistair Hands · Arriva Group
Graham Vidler · Confederation of Passenger Transport
Judith Barker · Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
Martin Dean · The Go-Ahead Group
Miriam Binsztok · Cornwall Council
Mr Damien Jones · Local Government Association
Mrs Naomi Green · England's Economic Heartland
Stephen Rhodes · Transport for Greater Manchester
12 Mar 2025
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Caroline Whitney · Community Transport Association
James West · Padam Mobility
Max Sugarman · Intelligent Transport Systems UK
26 Feb 2025
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Andrew Summers · Transport East
Mr Ben Simm · Leicestershire County Council
Paul Miner · CPRE - The Countryside Charity
Professor Karen Lucas · University of Manchester
Robert Morton · Unite the Union
Silviya Barrett · Campaign for Better Transport
Simon Mathieson · First bus
Stephen Frost · Institute of Public Policy Research
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Report – Buses connecting communities | HC 494 | 13 Aug 2025 | 33 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
26
Recommendation
Rejected
3rd Report – Buses connecting comm…
Public transport is a major barrier to employment and education for young people.
Public transport remains a major barrier to employment for young people, especially in under-served areas where limited services and high fares make it harder to reach college, training , entry-level jobs, or shift-based work. In some areas, transport is restricting …
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Government Response
The government rejects a national approach to youth concessions, citing unaffordability within the current spending review period and stating that local leaders are best placed to decide. It will gather learning from existing schemes and Transport Scotland to inform preparations for future Spending Reviews.
Department for Transport
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27
Recommendation
Rejected
3rd Report – Buses connecting comm…
Pilot a free bus pass for under-22s to support access to work and skills.
The Department’s review of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme should consider piloting a free bus pass for under-22s, valid for travel at any time of day. This would support access to work and skills opportunities for younger people and …
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Government Response
The government rejects piloting a free bus pass for under-22s, citing unaffordability within the current spending review period and the belief that local leaders are best placed to make such decisions. It will gather learning from existing schemes and Transport Scotland to inform preparations for future Spending Reviews.
Department for Transport
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