Buses: Rural Services - Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:36 pm on 16 July 2019.

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Photo of Lord Cameron of Dillington Lord Cameron of Dillington Crossbench 2:36, 16 July 2019

My Lords, owing to the 25% cut in local authority funding for bus services over the last four years, literally hundreds of shire bus routes have disappeared. Given that most rural households have only one car, and that car usually goes to the job, will the Minister consider setting up a group to look at the transport needs of those left behind, how they might be provided for and how we might encourage solutions? For instance, there are Wheels to Work schemes for the young, sharing services with the Post Office or the National Health Service, and community car schemes. I hope the Minister will agree that we now desperately need some new thinking in this area, and we also need some action.