Rural Transport Links

20. What steps her Department is taking to improve transport links in rural areas.

The Government know that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Under the previous Government, the loss of thousands of vital bus services across the country has left too many rural areas with poor transport links. That is why the Government will be introducing a new buses Bill to put power over local services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities that rely on them, including in Suffolk and other rural areas in England.

While I welcome the news that this Government plan to deliver 1,200 UK-made zero-emission buses to help local authorities deliver on their transport ambitions and seize opportunities to embrace zero-emissions transport technology, may I ask what consideration the Secretary of State and her Department have given to the much-needed expansion of electric vehicle charging networks in rural communities, specifically those in central Suffolk, to support the roll-out of the electric fleet?

We will be making an announcement soon on that expansion.