Don Foster MP backs fresh bid to improve bus services.

Bath MP, Don Foster, has given his support to a new initiative which hopes to bring about new local partnerships between councils, local bus operators and other partners.

The aim of the initiative is to pilot innovative ideas to improve bus services.

The eight organisations backing the initiative range from Age Concern to Transport 2000 and the Local Government Association.

But the coalition has been hampered in its bid to innovate bus travel. Government regulations are preventing local partners from piloting new bus improvement measures.

Don Foster says: “In the UK, two thirds of public transport journeys are made by bus. That adds up to 4.3 billion bus journeys a year. Improving bus services offers the greatest potential for quickly improving local public transport.

“The benefits to Bath of a better bus service would be improved air quality and reduced congestion in the city centre.”

“Four years ago, John Prescott, the deputy prime minister, proclaimed that buses would ‘lead our transport revolution for the 21st Century.’ If they are leading, then they’re evidently leading from behind!

“The problem is that so many people have lost the habit of travelling by bus.

“Research from a recent National Travel Survey showed that, on average, 47% of men and 38% of women reported using a bus less than once a year! And people in the highest income bracket made up only 2% of those journeys. In Bath, we must keep widening the appeal of public transport, and make bus travel all Bath residents, regardless of age or income bracket.

“Creative thinking and the freedom to pilot new approaches to bus travel are exactly what’s needed to get people back on board buses. The Government’s target is a 10% increase in bus use by 2010; we’re only crawling towards it in steps of ½ a percent. Their stifling of pilot projects certainly doesn’t help.”

Notes to Editors follows…

Notes to Editors:

The text of the Early Day Motion (1091) Don Foster has signed is as follows:

IMPROVING LOCAL BUS SERVICES

That this House welcomes the initiative by the Local Government Association, the Confederation of Passenger Transport, the National Federation of Bus Users, the NHS Confederation, Age Concern, the National Society for Clean Air, Transport 2000 and the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers to encourage local partnerships between councils, local bus operators and other partners to pilot innovative ideas to improve bus services; notes that two thirds of public transport journeys are made by bus and that improving bus services offers the greatest potential for quickly improving public transport at the local level, thereby promoting social inclusion, reducing congestion and improving air quality; regrets that government regulations are hampering the ability of local partners to pilot new bus improvement measures; and calls on the Government to work with the LGA and its partners to relax legislative restrictions in areas where a good case has been made for a pilot scheme to improve local bus services.

Further DTLR information on bus use in Great Britain is available from: www.transtat.dtlr.gov.uk/facts/ntsfacts/bus/bus.htm or

www.transtat.dtlr.gov.uk/facts/buscoach/fact9900/bus00.htm

ENDS.

This article published: 18/09/2023

Published by Bath Liberal Democrats, 31 James St West, Bath, BA1 2BT. Printed and hosted by JPC Infonet, 2 St Georges Works, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8AA. Your Privacy.