Jonathan Gullis led a debate in Westminster Hall on bus services in England, where he praised the Government for supporting bus networks in England since 2019 but argued more needs to be done.
The Stoke-on-Trent North MP, who has put improving connectivity at the heart of his pledge to Stokies, praised the Government for investing over £4 billion into bus services since the start of 2019.
This includes over £31 million for Stoke-on-Trent through the Bus Service Improvement Programme. Gullis praised local Councillors Abi Brown and Jack Brereton for supporting the three Stoke-on-Trent MPs secure funding for the city. It supported the enhancement of bus routes in the area, including the 36 / 36A and the 8. Gullis argued that these routes better connect his constituents in the key Stoke-on-Trent North towns, Tunstall, Burslem and Kidsgrove.
Gullis also spoke about his recent visit to First Potteries Depot where he spoke to staff about the impact of the Bus Service Improvement Programme.They noted that research from Transport Focus has revealed that Stoke-on-Trent is now ranked fourth for ‘Most Satisfied Bus uses’ and is ranked second for ‘Value for Money’.
Gullis used the time to discuss his ‘Scrap the Cap’ campaign, which has the backing of 1600 local residents and the Prime Minister, which seeks to remove the 9:30 start time for pensioners and disabled people using their bus pass. He also spoke about his desire to see Stoke-on-Trent City Council invest £11 million into new electric buses – which First Potteries have pledged to invest £37 million into – to help upgrade the cities bus network with high-quality and environmentally friendly buses.