Speeches by Greenwood.

“My hon. Friend is a great champion for local transport. This Government are committed to supporting improved bus services, and at the spending review we confirmed more than £3 billion in long-term funding until 2028-29. We believe that local leaders are best placed to make decisions about services in their areas, and t…”

“I shall attempt to do that. It is a pleasure to serve, with you in the Chair, Mr Stringer. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Stuart Anderson) on securing today’s debate on the condition of roads in rural areas. First, let me respond to some of the hon. Member’s points. He suggested that his local aut…”

“Of course I will.”

“Not right now. Rural residents are all too familiar with the reality, which is why this Government have taken decisive action. We are providing record funding for local highways maintenance, supporting councils not only to repair damage caused by recent winters but to break the cycle of deterioration that has built up …”

“The funding formula for local roads maintenance has not changed under this Government, and all local authorities, urban and rural, are receiving additional funding—an additional £500 million for local roads maintenance this year—as part of the largest uplift to the highways maintenance block in England’s history. Over …”

“Will the hon. Member give way?”

“Not right now. The Transport Committee in the previous Parliament specifically asked for that change. We are also making sure that taxpayers know how money is being used. Every local highway authority is now required to publish clear, accessible information on the condition of its roads, its maintenance plans and how i…”

“My hon. Friend is right to raise his concerns. It is of course the case that, where local authorities undertake repairs, we want them to be proper, permanent repairs that do not immediately deteriorate.”

“I will not just now. I am going to make some progress. There is no question but that severe and persistent bad weather has taken a real toll on highways in all parts of the country. The very wet start to 2026 has made repairs more difficult and maintenance windows shorter. Local authorities in many areas have been work…”

“Let me make a bit more progress and then I will, of course, come back to the hon. Member. We all recognise that rural Britain depends on reliable, safe and resilient roads. When those roads fall into poor condition or suffer flooding, the impacts on rural residents and businesses—often with limited alternative routes—c…”

“I thank the hon. Lady for her thoughtful question. As I have already acknowledged, under the previous Government, millions of bus miles were lost, particularly in rural areas. However, the Bus Services Act puts power back with local leaders, and enables franchising and enhanced partnerships of municipal operators to im…”

“In rural communities, good public transport options can make the difference to being able to access work, education and opportunities. The Bus Services Act 2025 gives local leaders real control, so that they can plan routes and timetables that work for villages and more remote areas, not just commercially viable corrid…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his important question. There is no doubt that we need to ensure that transport systems work better together. I am sure he will be very interested in our forthcoming integrated national transport strategy, and he does not have too long to wait.”

“The hon. Member raises an important question. Of course, our Department works closely with our colleagues in the Home Office to tackle crime of that sort. I am sure that the Minister with responsibility for roads, my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield and Rothwell (Simon Lightwood), would be happy to write to him abo…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. We are working closely with local authorities interested in franchising to identify models that work and to offer them tailored support. We are funding bus franchising pilots that will test the viability of up to five different models and investigate how they can …”

“As I am sure the hon. Gentleman knows, we consulted on the third cycling and walking investment strategy. That consultation closed in December and we are carefully considering all the representations that have been made. We will publish the final strategy in the spring.”

“We published the motor insurance taskforce report in December, highlighting the actions being taken to tackle claims costs and, ultimately, to help reduce motorists’ premiums. We are also consulting on a minimum learning period for learner drivers, which may help to reduce premiums if the number of collisions involving…”

“That is just not true. I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that the Government are determined to provide the road infrastructure that the public want. That is why we are providing public funding to start that project. We will say more in the coming weeks and months.”

“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sarah Edwards) on securing a debate on this important subject. I pay tribute to her campaigning. I know that she has shown real determination in working with her constituents, education unions and others on this issue throughout her time in the House. The minibus c…”

“Yes, I will.”