Questions over future of transport

PRIVATE bus operator Stagecoach has announced major cuts to our local services in Cheltenham and rural areas, including withdrawing some routes entirely.

This will result in a cut of 300,000 bus journeys per year in Gloucestershire.

The impact will be felt by the poorest and most vulnerable, such as the elderly, those unable to afford a car and children unable to get to and from school.

In addition, traffic congestion and pollution will increase as car journeys replace public transport.

Bus services across the country are disappearing as some private operators withdraw services and cashstrapped local authorities struggle to provide subsidies, particularly to routes in rural areas.

This privatised system is virtually unique among wealthy countries. Elsewhere in Europe, bus services are seen as a vital public service which local authorities provide to their residents to promote economic growth, improve mobility, tackle road congestion and reduce social isolation, especially in rural areas.

Some countries such as Luxembourg have transformed their public transport by making all bus and standard class rail travel completely free.

Similar schemes operate in parts of France and in Estonia and have proved to be politically popular.

Surely it is time to accept the Government’s privatised bus strategy has failed to provide an acceptable service to the public and is failing to address a fossil fuel climate emergency.

It’s time to bring buses back under public control.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has launched a scheme to bring back all local transport under public control.

In London, publicly owned Transport for London has control of all bus and tube services and many rail lines.

Why won’t the Government allow the rest of the country to have the same level of public transport provision?