Sam Tarry – 2021 Comments on National Bus Strategy

The comments made by Sam Tarry, the Shadow Bus Minister, on 15 March 2021.

This so-called strategy offers nothing for those who were looking for a bold vision to reverse the millions of miles of bus routes lost across the country.

People will be wondering when they return to work whether there will be enough affordable and regular buses for their daily commute.

The Tories said deregulation would improve our buses but they’re running bus services into the ground. Passengers now face a toxic mix of rising fares, cuts to services and reduced access.

The Government must do more to protect this crucial sector – not least given we’ve already seen more than 1,000 jobs lost in the bus and coach manufacturing industry alone since the pandemic started.