Written evidence from A Darbyshire (BUS
69)
The cutbacks will hit hard on our communities (Wigan,
Greater Manchester), the school children instead of paying an
80p subsidised fare and now being told from April that the fare
will be half the adult fare which will be in the region of £1.80
each way. This is a huge blow to families even with one child
but a disaster to families with several children who need a bus
service. Personally I feel this will put more cars on the road,
parents will find it cheaper to take children to school even with
petrol costs so high than pay the new bus fares.
It will add to congestion, accidents and impact and
the state of our roads with more repair costs due to private vehicles
using them for school runs.
In the long term I cannot see how money will be saved,
it will just have to be spent on road improvement programmes and
repairs which will be counterproductive to the savings plan!
The sick and disabled wishing to attend early morning
hospital appointments at the moment can travel for the same 80p
before 9.30 am. This is also being raised to the half fare rate
before 9.30am Monday to Friday, so you will have people trying
to book later appointments being unable to afford to travel on
the new rates. The subsidised 80 pence fare I think was affordable
even though it was free after 9.30 am. With the National travel
pass some would still make the journey and pay the 80 pence but
I cannot see anyone now paying the higher fares which is also
counterproductive—people will just travel for free after
9.30 am and the hospitals early morning clinics will have vacancies
and the bus companies will have lost the 80 pence revenue!
March 2011
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