Written evidence from Leven Valley Buses
(BUS 25)
Your inquiry is premature as with one exception the
local authorities in Cleveland have not indicated exactly where
cuts will apply in local bus services.
— 1. The
one exception is looking to cut 50% from its' support of subsidised
services. This will impact evening and Sunday services and in
our experience will mean that the transport disadvantaged in the
community will have fewer opportunities to use their Bus Passes.
— 2. The
reimbursement of Bus Pass has been altered to inevitably cause
a reduction in service provision. Leven Valley provides "niche"
hourly services penetrating estates that the larger buses of the
major groups cannot enter. This advantage to transport disadvantaged
will be threatened further as we cannot run full buses of pass
holders and expect the drivers to accept 49% of their wages and
the fuel suppliers to accept 49% of the cost of the fuel. Lunatics
are running the pass scheme.
— 3. The
local authorities due to the new "big society" arrangements
will not need to necessarily commit any financial resources to
transport poor sections of the community. There are many pressures
upon them that may have higher priorities.
— 4. All
Leven Valley commercial routes have resulted from requests from
local authorities or local people for us to provide transport
links. Being small we have always been close to our customers
and kept them informed of our problems and involved them in seeking
solutions. It is ineveitable that some cuts may need to be made
in the light of the profligacy and poor judgement of the previous
administration. My worry is that they are being made precipitately
and, being front loaded, will result in the ending of several
jobs at Leven Valley as efforts will need to be made to accommodate
cuts that are perceived to be needed to assuage the effects that
the unchecked greed of financiers and the profligate ways of politicians
have generated.
— 5. My
plea is for a more measured withdrawal of the transport benefits
that were so wantonly given as vote catchers to we "grays".
The way things appear to be going will devastate many travel opportunities
for large numbers of Pass Holders who will realise how hollow
was the promise to maintain their free pass at the same time as
the "Promisees" were planning this undermining of the
very networks needed to use the passes.
These comments are made with little hope of positive
results. Buses, those who use them and those who provide them
do not feel in any way important to the values of Westminster.
January 2011
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