Bus Services after the Spending Review - Transport Committee Contents


Written evidence from M Rushmere (BUS 55)

I am writing as the user of our local bus service and as a holder of a concessionary bus pass for the over 60s.

I live in North Yorkshire, and use the Dales and District service number 70 that runs between Ripon and Northallerton. It runs six days a week during the day time only. This enables my wife—also a pass holder—and I to get to the shops, attend doctors appointments, visit our banks and building societies, and the post office amongst other facilities. It also connects to other services such as the east coast main line that allows us to visit family and friends around the UK. Both Ripon and Northallerton have other bus routes that can transport us to all areas of Yorkshire and beyond.

By using the bus we leave our car at home and save in the region of 5,000 miles a year in general commuting.

As a free service we, and many others, find the facility extremely useful.

IF this service was to be reduced then I would prefer to see the frequency each day retained but a whole day removed during the week. Say Tuesday.

In order not to have it reduced at all, I would consider accepting a nominal charge per journey to go towards the cost of providing this service for all over 60 pass holders. This could be 20p for any journey. This would go some way to mitigating the cost and should not involve the bus operator in any extra work as they take fares already; so cash handling is not a problem.

I hope that in the end the facility is not reduced or removed as the numbers that use it in this rural area is considerable.

January 2010



 
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