A LOCAL MP spoken in Parliament about the need for a sustainable and affordable bus service across South Yorkshire.

Barnsley Central MP, Dan Jarvis asked the secretary of state for transport, Grant Shapps, about improvements to bus services in parliament yesterday.

Dan said: “Covid is creating huge challenges for our bus network and if we are serious about improving services after the pandemic we need a commitment to long-term investment from all tiers of government.

“In South Yorkshire we produced an improvement plan for our bases but we need support. So can I ask the Secretary of State, when we will see investment from the government for the sustainable, affordable and accessible bus service that we all want to see?”

Mr Shapps responded: “We do share the ambition to do much of what he’s just said. The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive has received a £1.127m grant and the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority has been allocated £703,614 so we are putting our money where our mouths are.

“We will be publishing our National Bus Strategy and I think you’ll find it very complementary to the bus review report that he has been behind.”