Letter: Bus chaos: legal diversions, surplus and scarcity
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Bus deregulation has been an even bigger disaster than Christian Wolmar indicates.
The consequent decline in bus patronage in South Yorkshire, where fares have moved from low to high, has been almost matched in Greater Manchester, where they have moved from high to even higher. The Government told us that fares would fall under the pressure of competition. They also told us that this was not a money-saving exercise, but was simply about increasing efficiency.
Yet government support has fallen dramatically and the surplus in daytime services (which entails all buses operating at the very margin of profitability) contrasts with evening and Sunday scarcity.
Even though competition has driven down the price of subsidised services (on a cost per vehicle- mile basis), the money available for buying in these services has been brutally slashed, mainly because of the abolition of Passenger Transport Authorities' right to precept upon ring-fenced money formerly granted to local authorities for public transport.
If rail 'commercialisation' provokes a similar boost for private car use, then we shall be well on the way to permanent gridlock.
Yours sincerely,
ALLAN HORSFALL
Chairman
The Bus Users' Society
Farnworth, Lancashire
18 January
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments