No extra fares hel for county councils
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COUNCILS which want to hold down fares have been told they will get no help from Transport Secretary David Howell.
In announcing the transport supplementary grant allocation for 1982/83, before Christmas, Mr Howell said he had accepted expenditure figures for revenue support which were "reasonable and realistic". He had not provided grant aid for excessive reductions in fares.
"I see no objection to modest and sensible subsidies for public transport, and my acceptance of £89m for revenue support in Greater London in 1982/83 reflects this," he said. For other metropolitan counties, Mr Howell allowed revenue support expenditure of E97.5m eligible for grant. In shire counties he accepted 173.6m in total.
All of these prices are out-turn cash figures for 1982/83, and they are regarded as final sums by the Government, taking account of inflation and wage settlements in line with Government guidelines.
As well as disallowing expenditure in metropolitan counties for "unacceptable" fares policies, Mr Howell has also cut out some proposed revenue support for similar purposes in some shire counties. Apparently, Avon suffered for its plans to inject an additional E0.5m into the Bristol Omnibus Company.
It is revealed, however, that the Greater London Council's own bid for London Transport did not include an allowance for the now-illegal low fares in the knowledge that Mr Howell would disallow it.
The top of the league for spending on revenue support in shire counties is Hertfordshire, with a total commitment of £7.8m in 1982/83. Also above 15m are Cheshire and Surrey.
Some counties put aside small amounts as a reflection of their unwillingness to support public transport. Notably, Oxfordshire (£266,000), Somerset (1457,000), and Suffolk (E368,000).
Sums for Norfolk (£1.179m) and Hereford and Worcester (El .253m} are thought to include "buffer" amounts to cover the cost of operating trial areas.