Somerton and Glastonbury MP Sarah Dyke has welcomed a £7 million funding boost for Somerset's bus services but has urged the government to prioritise rural areas and improve bus-rail connections.

The Department for Transport announced this week that Somerset Council will receive nearly £7 million to support bus provision across the county. While Ms Dyke acknowledged the importance of the funding, she stressed the need for it to benefit rural communities, including those in Glastonbury and Street, where limited services isolate residents and restrict access to jobs, education, and healthcare.

Speaking in Parliament, Ms Dyke questioned the Secretary of State for Transport: "The new funding for bus services in Somerset is welcome, but my constituents often tell me that they need bus-rail links to connect areas not served by railway stations. Will the Secretary of State outline the exact conditions for what each tranche of money must be spent on, to allow the council to plan much-needed improvements to services in rural areas?"

Somerset's rural areas face significant challenges when it comes to public transport. Residents have long called for a direct bus service linking Glastonbury to Castle Cary station, which would improve access to train routes.

Currently, this 30-minute car journey is not served by any bus, leaving those without private transport stranded. Bus funding in Somerset is also among the lowest in the country, with the county receiving just £25.15 per person annually compared to over £300 in some urban areas. This disparity has contributed to the closure of one in four rural bus routes between 2010 and 2021, leaving some communities with little or no public transport.

Ms Dyke has consistently called for greater investment in rural bus services. In a parliamentary debate in September, she described the situation as a "postcode lottery" that isolates rural residents: "Rural areas have a multitude of factors resulting in poor public transport connections. The lack of funding, sparsity of routes and smaller population centres have resulted in one in four bus routes ceasing to exist in county and rural areas over the 11 years between 2010-11 and 2021-22."

Somerset Council has also responded to the funding announcement, describing it as "positive news" but warning that significant work is still needed to address rural transport issues.

A spokesperson said: "This is positive news in terms of supporting our aims to improve bus provision in Somerset. In broad terms, whilst it appears to be a fairer allocation, there's still some way to go in terms of addressing the balance for public transport-deprived rural areas. We are awaiting full detail on the funding from the Department for Transport. Once we have this information, the Council can look at how funding could be used to maximum effect."

Ms Dyke said she remains committed to ensuring the funding delivers tangible benefits for her constituents: "This funding is a step in the right direction, but we must ensure it addresses the specific challenges faced by rural communities in Somerset, where many rely on integrated public transport connections. Joining up bus and rail services is critical to productivity and the rural economy."

Ms Dyke added that she would continue to press the government for clear guidance on how the funding will be allocated, ensuring councils can deliver improvements that rural communities desperately need.