1 DC slams NCC mduct code
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le Bus and Coach Council acted angrily to calls for orceable code of practice s operators, made last by the National Consumuncil (NCC) at its annual imer Congress in Newupon Tyne.
NCC says there is a ad for such a code to e that bus operators meet eeds of all passengers, ling those with disabilities. legates complained that, igh deregulation had been led to turn bus operators mtrepreneurs, too many still not giving passengers gh information about bus !s, fares and timetables.
le BCC responds: "They isking bus operators to be lings to all men. Bus °per ; are not unaware that an irtant minority of bus users lisabled, but there are so
Y different needs it is sure
ipossible to provide a vehi .o suit."
avid Watson of the BCC ;: "The BCC is closely ined with various bodies who -esent the disabled. Why it the National Consumer :licit get in touch with us )re asking for the impossi' We are doing as much as can to help disabled passens use buses."
n answer to accusations of ifficient information about routes, fares and timetables, Watson says: "We are aware that information such as timetables occasionally is not posted on bus stops.
"The main reason for this," he states, "is that bus stops are not operators' property — these belong to the local authorities and it is their responsibility to ensure that timetables and any other information supplied by bus companies using the route are posted up."
The congress was chaired by Transport 2000 director Susan Hoyle who told delegates that, although it was early to assess the results of the 1985 Transport Act which had privatised the bus industry, "it should be noted that, in 1986, 6% fewer people used buses.'
The BCC agrees that there has been an attrition of services in certain rural areas and says: "Everyone is concerned by the fall-off in services in these areas and the public has a right to complain, but we must not forget that services are all paid for through the fare box." London Regional Passengers Committee secretary Rufus Barnes, who is chairman of the working party drafting the code, told Commercial Motor: "We have no intention of drawing up a code of good practice without representation made by bus operators."