Memorandum by Wotton-under-Edge Town Council
(Bus 35)
RURAL TRANSPORT BID TO THE COUNTRYSIDE AGENCY
1. SUBSIDIES
IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM
BUS INDUSTRY
AND THE
RESULT OF
"BUS CHALLENGE
INITIATIVES IN
RURAL AND
URBAN COMMUNITIES
Every town and parish council is entitled to
a grant of £10,000 from the Countryside Agency, for rural
transport to which they are expected to contribute £2,500
in "matched funding"!
As this money is such a small amount, the three
surrounding parishes were asked to join with us, to make a joint
bid of £40,000.
Two of these parishes have precepts of £2,400
and £2,800 and they cannot afford to put £2,500 towards
the bid.
All four parishes have decided not to contribute
any money towards the bid, but to go into a rural partnership
bid for a community bus. The bus would pick up people and take
them to a main bus route. This could not operate with "Ring
and Ride" as they have different criteria for operating.
This may affect the take up of the Community bus.
We are also considering going into partnership
with Gloucestershire County Council to help subsidise a bus route.
We in Wotton-under-Edge, were described by consultants
to the District Council, as having a poor level of transport service
and facility provision. Suggestions put forward by the consultants
were extremely expensive.
CONCLUSION
Such a small amount of money does not justify
the many voluntary hours and expense of putting together a rural
transport survey, and meeting the consultant employed by the Countryside
Agency.
This grant is only a "one off". What
happens when this money runs out?
Councillor June H Cordwell
April 2002
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